Scores of Kalomo farmers today matched in protest to the District Commissioner’s office over the non payment of their money for the maize they sold to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) last year.
Speaking on behalf of other cooperative societies, Festus Siboli said it was humiliating that the agency had failed to pay peasant farmers for the produce they sold in August last year.
The farmers claimed that they were unable to provide basics for their school going children because of lack of money.
The farmers from Mabombo, Chilala, Katambo, Kasukwe, Bulyambeba and Katanda satellite depots accused the FRA buying agent, the Kalomo District Cooperative and Marketing Union (KDCMU) of favouring some farmers.
But KDCMU general manager, Mwananyambe Mwananyambe told ZANIS in an interview that his organisation was in the process of paying off the remaining farmers .
He added that the cooperative union would deposit K1.5 billion in a local Finance bank this week.
Mr. Mwananyambe said the remaining K5 million is expected to be cleared next week and urged the farmers to be patient and wait for bank transactions to end.
I miss policy ya ba Kaunda. FRA is dead. KKs’ NAMBOARD would have bought all the produce and provide the farmers with bags. I hear the chisamba silos are none functional. Can someone confirm?
Farmers supplied their produce to FRA? yet not money for the poor farmers? Yet minister’s cell bills are paid on time? LPM’s state house fund never runs out? zambian it is time we set our priorites right..! when are we ever going to have government that responds to the basic needs of the people? I hope 2011 will bring in individuals that have the desire to change things and not the usual fortune seekers? My Dad lives in kalomo and his one the peasant farmers affected. we have lost faith in the pompous MP “Request Mutanga”.
Zambia is a shining example of the 3rd world. Give those poor farmers what’s rightfully theirs.
How much longer will we allow these ‘structures, boards and cooperatives’ to take advantage of the average Zambian?