Zambia dismisses reports of 5 people dying of hunger

Authorities in Zambia on Thursday dismissed reports that five people have so far died due to the hunger situation that has ravaged some parts of the country following poor harvests caused by poor rains.

Some reports have indicated that five people have died of hunger in Shangombo district of western Zambia.

Chanda Kabwe, National Coordinator of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit said neither his office nor the provincial administration in the province have received such reports and that there were merely a scheme meant to cause panic in the country. In a release, he said the government was aware of the increasing need for relief food in the cited district and has since doubled the relief allocation to the district to meet the growing needs. The official however expressed concern with increased levels of negative reports concerning the hunger situation in the country. He has since urged lawmakers in the affected districts to engage his office in finding better ways of responding to the needs in their constituencies.