Chitambo Residents invade DR Congo in search of food

Looming Hunger in Mangala area in Chitambo District of Central Province has forced the community in the area to cross into Congo DRC in search of food.

Mangala Community School Head Teacher Friday Machisemu said most villagers in the area were forced to ‘ trek’ into nearby villages in neighbouring DR Congo in search of food.

Mr. Machisemu said most of the households in the area were facing a critical shortage of  food such as maize and cassava due to the dry spell the area experienced in the last farming season.

He  said most of the households in the area are facing a critical shortage of maize and cassava due to the dry spell the area experienced in the last farming season.

Mr Machisemu said most families have crossed into Congo DRC with their children in search of work for food.

The Head Teacher lamented that the crossing over of the families into the neighbouring country has adversely affected the turn out of children at the community school which has been closed.

He has since appealed to DMMU under Vice Presidents’ office to send relief maize to the area before many families cross into Congo DRC.

Mangala area is on the western side of Chitambo district bordering the DR Congo border.

Meanwhile Central Province Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale said her office will work upon the matter after receiving a report from DMMU.