Chakwera said this on Wednesday in Mulanje during a Cyclone Freddy Memorial Service.

“Construction or rehabilitation of these infrastructures which include bridges, roads and houses for the affected families, need re-designing and proper planning to be resilient to disasters,” said Chakwera.

He thanked local and international organizations for collaborating with the government in responding to the disaster.

Speaking as Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Dr. Michael Usi, who is also ruling coalition partner UTM Vice President, said the clergy has another task to pray for the country that there should not be cyclone politics between President Chakwera and Vice President Saulos Chilima besides praying for a disaster-free nation.

“The two leaders are working together in finding solutions to the country’s socio-economic problems but there are some unpatriotic people out there who do not wish them well; all they want is to create an enmity between the two,” said Usi.

Austin Maloya from Chiradzulu District who spoke on behalf of all the Cyclone Freddy affected households thanked the government and its partners for the support after the disaster but said the families are in need of other basic items including food and farm inputs.

Among the clergy who officiated the memorial service were Archbishop Thomas Luke Msusa of Blantyre Archdiocese of the Catholic, Prophet Shepherd Bushiri of Enlightened Christian Gathering Church, Moderator of CCAP Nkhoma Synod Rev Bizweck Nkhoma and Sheikh Swalley Chilundu from the Muslim Association of Malawi.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy affected 2.2 million households, claimed 679 lives and 537 people went missing. They are now presumed dead.

The prayers were held under the theme 'a resilient nation towards recovery.'