Odillo Decries Poor Living Conditions of War Veterans

Mangochi, Malawi — Veterans and Ex-Service League of Malawi (Velom) chairperson, General Henry Odillo (Rtd), has expressed deep concern over the poor living conditions of war veterans in the country, describing their situation as one that “leaves a lot to be desired.”

Odillo made the remarks on Monday at former President Peter Mutharika’s lakeside residence, Page House, in Mangochi, during the official launch of the 2025 Poppy Flower Week.

He lamented that many of the veterans who once risked their lives for the nation are now living in abject poverty.

“These people sacrificed a lot. They took a great risk to fight for others in fierce battles. But look at those who are still alive today—their living conditions have greatly deteriorated,” Odillo said.

He appealed to Mutharika to view the event not merely as a ceremonial occasion but as an opportunity for reflection and renewed commitment to addressing the welfare needs of the veterans.

In response, President Mutharika acknowledged the challenges faced by the veterans and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving their livelihoods.

“We already had plans, but we failed to implement them because we were out of government. Now that we are back, we intend to revive those plans and introduce interventions such as renovating their houses and providing loans to their family members to improve their livelihoods,” he said.

During the launch, Mutharika purchased the first poppy flower at K5 million, marking the beginning of efforts to meet this year’s K300 million fundraising target for the campaign.