Friday, March 29, 2024

Irate farmers storm DC’s office over FRA payments

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Irate farmers in Serenje district this morning stormed the District Commissioner’s office demanding an explanation as to why the Food Reserve Agency(FRA)is not paying them for the maize they supplied for the 2013/2014 season.

Meanwhile, ZANIS reports that Police in riot gear kept vigil at the District Commissioner’s office as he addressed the farmers.
The FRA in the district last week promised farmers that they would pay the money today.

The farmers who last week nearly manhandled FRA Serenje District Marketing Officer Zaccheus Manda said when they went to Finance Bank early today they were told that FRA had not sent a list of farmers to be paid.

The unruly farmer said they want FRA to give them back the maize they supplied to the agency since it has failed to pay them on time.

One of the farmers who could not give his identity said farmers have been patient enough with the FRA hence they want the maize they supplied the agency.
The Farmer said FRA should understand that the distribution of fertilizer for this farming season has already started and farmers want the money to pay for matching grants.

He wondered how farmers are expected to solve their personal problems and prepare for the 2014/2015 farming season without money.

Another farmer Mary Mulenga said it was unfair for her to be subjected to suffering for doing a service to government.

Ms Mulenga said she wants to retrieve the maize she gave FRA so that she can sell it to Millers.

But Serenje District Commissioner has called for calm from farmers as the FRA Provincial Marketing coordinator Timothy Chanda told him that the agency was doing everything possible to pay the farmers in the district by Thursday next week.

Meanwhile, Police clad in riot gear kept vigil at the District Commissioner’s office as he addressed the farmers.

And Government has assured farmers in Kasama and other areas that frantic efforts were being made to ensure that the money owed to them by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) was paid.

On Wednesday, scores of irate farmers from Kasama and Mungwi districts in Northern Province gave government a two-day ultimatum in which to pay money owed to them by the FRA failure to which they would withdraw their maize.

Today, the incensed farmers marched to Mansa Police Station in a bid to carry out their threats.

But addressing the farmers at Kasama Police Station, Northern Province Deputy Permanent Secretary, Boniface Mbuzi, said government was working to find money to pay them.

Mr Mbuzi appealed for patience from the farmers, saying the government had clearly understood their plight.

The farmers appealed to government to quickly clear them so that they go back to their respective places to start preparing for the next season.

They said they feared that the delay in processing their payments could have a negative effect on their farming activities in the 2014/ 2015 farming season.
The farmers added that they had been subjected to anguish as they have no money to support their families, adding that it was unfair for Government to hold on to the money because they equally had financial problems to attend to.

11 COMMENTS

  1. What more can I say? My name says it all. Farmers use your weapon which is your voters card to usher in your fellow farmer. His name is Pres. Hakainde Hichilema. Remember that 20/01/2015.

    • iliko bad…. everyone in zambia seems to throwing stones at Guy Scot,,,, please Guy Scot give people back their yellow maize or pay them….
      meanwhile i hear doctors who were treating late Sata are also demanding payment,,, imwe bantu!, in zambian culture when one dies you write off the debts

  2. govt shud feel for z poor farmers..i don’t think they b paid as this paya farmer govt is preparing election..i feel pity for my fellow Zambia..

  3. Zambians need to note that this is just a by election and the president from this election will be facing another election in less than 2 years. A transitional president like RB is the best the country can have. Otherwise people will be fatigued with elections and 2016 will register massive apathy. Also, Zambia could waste a whole 2 years in political campaigns at the expense of development. Think twice

    • Imwe pls leave us alone. We do not want your RB. We gave him a wonderful chance before – he was very arrogant, ever in the air.

  4. Farmers should not worry because man edger Lungu will rescue them. Lungu will develop zambia 100%. Vote Lungu people for continuity and prosperity

  5. I THINK THE ONLY WORKABLE AND POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM Z TO PAY FARMERS AS THEY DELIVER THEIR MAIZE. IF THE GOVT OF THE DAY DOES NT KNOW WHERE MONEY WILL COME FROM TO PAY FARMERS WHY EVEN COLLECT THE COMMODITY. THEY SHOULD LIGALLIZE THE MARKETING OF MAIZE EVEN TO OUTSIDERS (EXPORT). I FEEL FOR THE POOR FARMERS

  6. @cha is this the mediocrity you want to continue? @reality- really? Zambia needs a complete economic and political reorganization. The state of our governance is appalling we can not have a situation where the hard working women and men of Zambian backbone economic activity have to beg to be compensated for their hard work. Farming is a capital requiring enterprise without their money some of these farmers will have to give up altogether. PF is now messing peoples livelihood. This has got to stop and come January it will. HH please deliver us from this mediocrity! !! ZAMBIA FORWARD!!

  7. cha your man edger lingu hasnt got even a backyard garden how can he improve things agriculture was not pfs concern they are like moneys and boboons in the maize flied this time please we want a farmer who knows what it takes to farm this is no other than hh for upnd lungu or sampa will be shame useless ones fellow farmers country wide anywhere you are come in numbers with your tears but wipe your tears on 21 january after wining viva hh

  8. Imagine being the single mom in lundazi who has one duaghter you send to boarding school. All you have for income is the crop that you proudly broke your back for. Once you harvested your plan was to pay the high school fees and purchase uniforms. Hold on, wait …..”the government of the republic of Zambia says your duaghter has to drop out.” How can a collection of leaders operate with such ruthlessness. I bet you there has never been a month when parliament or cabinet did not get paid because the government had no funds. The time has come to have a government that is for the people. We need a leader who knows the plight of our hardest working contributors in society. We need someone to take ZAMBIA FORWARD.”all aboard! Flight HH2015 is ready for take off.

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