Africa-Press – Malawi. The Malawi Network of Older Person’s Organization (MANEPO) has dared President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse government to start rollout monthly pension scheme for the elderly which it promised so as to shield the elderly from the current economic challenges.
In an interview with Maravi Post on Sunday October 30,2022 MANEPO country Director, Andrew Kavala said failure by government to implement the initiative is worsening the challenges the elderly are facing, including making them more vulnerable to abuse as they are dependent.
“The elderly in Malawi are facing a lot of challenges. However, there is a need for government to rollout the monthly pension scheme for them as it promised.
“We hope through the initiative, these people will have some of their challenges solved,” said Kavala.
Meanwhile, when contacted for extended details about this, Spokesperson in the Ministry of Gender, Fred Simwaka said the programme missed out on this year’s financial budget as Parliament did not allocate funds to operationalize the scheme.
He said still, there is hope that the initiative will rollout in the next financial year. “Everything is in place to rollout the initiative in the next financial year. It is a very important programme and we are on it,” he said.
During campaign, Tonse partners made a pledge to rollout a K15 000 monthly scheme for older persons in the country. MANEPO is the country’s age network, an umbrella body for over sixty (60) civil society organisations implementing various programmes meant to promote and protect the rights of older men and women in Malawi.
The organization helps older men and women claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. Currently 2.7% of the Malawian population is aged over 65 years.
According to the 2016 National Policy for Order Persons, there is evidence that most older Malawians live in poverty, have poor health and nutritional statuses, have no home or shelter and are often abused. Some research findings also predict that Malawians aged over 60 will be one million by 2030 and two million by 2050.
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