Chief Mwanachingwala of Mazabuka district in Southern province has commended government for sending huge quantities of relief food to his subjects whose crops and houses where damaged by floods during the last rain season.
The chief told ZANIS in Mazabuka today, that without quick government intervention, his subjects could have starved to death.
Chief Mwanachingwala said government, through the Office of the Vice President, deserved to be commended for coming to the rescue of the flood victims whom he said were only surviving through begging.
Yesterday, Mazabuka District Commissioner, Tyson Hamaamba told ZANIS, that government had sent 8,000 by 50 kilogramme bags of white maize to people whose crops and homes where swept away by floods.
And Chief Mwanachingwala has disclosed that 60 families, who were displaced by floods, have finally been relocated to higher grounds while a few have decided to go back to their previous villages.
Mazabuka is one of the districts in the province which was severely hit by floods.
Meanwhile, Chief Mwanachingwala has called on the veterinary department to immediately lift the ban on the movement of livestock and export of its products from Mazabuka.
Chief Mwanachingwala said in a statement to ZANIS in Mazabuka today, that the department should not ignore the plight of cattle farmers when the district has not recorded any fresh cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in a long time now.
He said he was privileged to attend a stakeholders meeting, which was chaired by Mazabuka District Veterinary officer, Dr Nawa Mabuku, where a status report on the disease prevalence revealed that no more FMD cases had been reported in the district.
He said government should realise that his subjects were now suffering, especially that they not yet recovered from the effects of the floods which destroyed their crops and animals.
”The ban has caused immense suffering on cattle farmers who depend solely on the sale of livestock for survival. But why should government pretend as if everything is alright,” asked Chief Mwanachingwala
The Chief complained that most of his subjects have failed to send their children to high schools due to lack of funds to meet school requirements that include school fees.
And a representative of commercial farmers from Kapinga farms complained that the ban on the movement of livestock has only promoted illegal movement of livestock by some traders.
He urged government to lift the suspension before most commercial farmers become bankrupt.
ZANIS/HC/KSH/ENDS.
these chiefs of nowadays are too lazy,they just want everything 4 free.
True they are very lazy. They only have time for their subjects – women.
NO NO NO … Their crops were destroyed by floods.Do you understand? And #2 would u say the same about your chief?
Please please… Let chiefs speak for their subjects and you must understand that there is No strong man in times of natural disasters like flood in this case. How can you say Chiefs are Lazy when you saw the heavy rains all over the country?
“Chief Mwanachingwala said government, through the Office of the Vice President, deserved to be commended for coming to the rescue of the flood victims whom he said were only surviving through begging”.He left out prostitution in his chief kingdom and also agree with #2, thats true they like using the subjects,’ ladies ‘