Some ward councilors in Gwembe have threatened violence if the government does not immediately address the critical hunger situation in the district.
And some unscrupulous traders have taken advantage of the hunger situation in the district by demanding for a cow, in exchange for five bags of maize.
Speaking when a team of officials from the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under the Office of the Vice President paid a courtesy call on him, Acting District Commissioner Mathias Fundi said some civic leaders have threatened to burn down government infrastructure in the area.
Mr. Fundi said the people think by doing so, they would press government to provide food.
He told the DMMU officials that the hunger situation was very a serious.
Mr. Fundi said according to the hunger assessment carried out by a team of DMMU officials, the situation in Gwembe was serious, adding that hunger has since affected all wards in the district..
“The situation is critical, I even received a team of ward councilors who came to my office and threatened to burn houses of government officers if government does not heed to their calls to have the hunger situation addressed,” he said.
Mr. Fundi implored the visiting team of DMMU officials to ensure that they carry out an extensive survey and compile conclusive results that would show the real situation on the ground.
And district co-operatives officer, Emmanuel Mulenga, said the food that was currently available in the district was inadequate.
He added that the 600 bags of maize sourced from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in August this year have all been sold out.
“Only 10 per cent of those affected benefited from the sale of maize by FRA and the maize was all sold out within a space of two weeks”, Mr. Mulenga said.
He also observed that the ban on livestock movement has compounded the hunger situation in the district especially that most households were depending on the sale of small ruminants such as goats, pigs, and poultry to buy food.
“The stock movement ban has given rise to illegal movement of animals, from Gwembe district to Turnpike in Kafue through Mazabuka for slaughter, people have resorted to illegal movement of animals as a means of survival,” he noted.
Mr. Mulenga also disclosed that the escalating maize prices has seen the reduction in the number of meals per day for most rural households to only one meal per day, adding that some people have even resorted to eating porridge.
He also pointed out that some unscrupulous traders, mostly from neighbouring Mazabuka, have taken advantage of the escalating maize prices and hunger situation in Gwembe.
He said the traders were exchanging one cow for five 50 kilometers bags of maize.
“Some unscrupulous traders from Mazabuka are giving the local people five bags of maize in exchange for a cow,” he said.
Mr. Mulenga disclosed that a bucket of maize was selling at K35, 000 as compared to the same time last year when the commodity was selling at K20, 000.
And the team leader from the DMMU, Nyambe Namakando, assured the Acting District Commissioner that the team would carry out a rapid food security assessment on the effects of the floods in the last rain season and compile a conclusive report in order to source for help for those affected.
Meanwhile, a check by ZANIS in Chamwe ward revealed that most people were depending on wild fruits such as Masuku and Matondo, while some families have resorted to eating porridge as a way of rationing on the limited maize stocks available.
And a similar check in Syampande ward revealed that most people were surviving on wild seeds locally known as sozwe, which is cooked for three days before it could be eaten because it is said to be highly poisonous.
ZANIS/MZ/KSH/ENDS
Wele
:((
nambala siri
Thats why we want peaceful demos. Not violence. You see, even councilor alina njala. This is serious.
Ba moze yashani?Okay congrats bro I will try next time.
compile a report, great idea
Hmmmmm! Shine! Ba moze
This is not PF mwaona? Ku gwembe ukooo…
poultry is not a “small ruminant” pliz, unless mbeba
small rodent maybe
#1
Wele vichani! You don’t even read the content of the article but just rushes to post a senseless comment just to claim #1. Childish!
hhhhhh! Guys do you speak on the net or what? I have never been number 1
😡 RB and MMD r luvin this
Hope this will help all those saying PF is planning demos coz of not accepting the election results.Gwembe is not pf strong hold but they are about to do something bad if at all the govt will not do something about the fooed crisis.Pf there for the pipo of Zed unlike MMD.
hhhhhh! Guys do you sleep on the net or what? I have never been number 1
If those in power are agitating for violence what message are they sending to ordinary citizens??
LT am in Zambia mufulira… I dont the whose country is the flag on my comment # 13
#5 Congratulating someone for posting the first senseless comment! What kind of absurdity are you trying to flaunt? Shame!
practice Zadok, practice
Don’t be jealous #11 you can also be #1
wena do you think people are going to eat compiled reports?? i pity you
Next it will be from somewhere in NW province and even Eastern. Like I have always told you, its not about being PF, UPND etc. Its just about not having food to give our children.
Answer and solution is peaceful demo. Only then, will the fat, sleepy, ugly politicians wake up
I’m hurt
#I8 Mponda Fimo fimo
You are very bitter young man. Its understandable. You can be number one also. Just be alert. Thats how we were passing even in school. Sorry, better luck next time.
Incidentaly, whats the highest number you ever passed in school ? I8?
Now compare this to the peaciful demostrations by PF. The only language this govt can understand is violence. They delay and dilly-dally in taking action hoping the problem will go away on its own. Food is the life line for everybody. MMD pls wake up and move into action before its too late. PF is not found in Gwembe, but there already is a threat of violence! A hungry man is an angry man. It takes a hungry, angry man to take to the streets & riot!!!
Office of the Vice President should be accountable for this. What’s going on Ba MMD? Wake up n smell the coffee!!!
Abena sony,
Mponda fimo fimo is bitter kwena. Advise him to be alert. Watulo sana umwaiche
#18 M’ponda Matiki we are applying for this to be included as an olympic sport didn’t you know? You can win also!
Sister and other PF sympathisers, yes there could be a looming hunger, but you must understand the causes and only then could you find the solution. Since the causes of hunger is not demonstrations therefore, demonstrations are not the solution. Those who agree with demos as a solution to hunger their brains are on a christmas holiday.
Yaba. Ba bwela abena Tula Fimo fimo. Mwandi, i rarely say this to anyone, but my friend, honestly and truthfully, without fear or favour, you my friend are one dull cadre.
Baby C, matworld, Sony, Sweet Thang and others, one love. Blogg you tommoro from Mazabuka. :-h
A report from Keembe in Chibombo District casts the same image, namely, that of a tin or backet of maize going at K35,000. Hunger is just everywhere.
Now a bag of maize in Zambia is measure in tins and one bag=6 tins. Multiply K35,000 by 6 tins to get the cost of 1 bag of maize and you get K210,000. Now the haves a exchanging 5 bags of maize for a cow. Multiply K210,000 per bag by 5 bags you get K1,050,000. I feel the traders are fair. Depending on how big it is, a cow can cost as low as K700,000.
Safe journey ba Moze
#28. Please dont be dull.
Ba Moze
Take care uko muleya ka! you should come back intact!
#23 Ba Moze Im not as dull as you are that you struggle wit school. In my school days I used to jump grades- from grade 3 to 5 etc and you used to repeat grades – from failing grade seven bact to grade five and Im sure that’s where you got the name “Ba Moze ’cause you looked like a parent in grade 8!
RB has admitted that its very difficult or even impossible to reduce the cost of inputs for this farming season. By saying this, he is admitting that he lied during the campaigns when he promised to reduce the cost of fertiliser to just K50,000 per bag. He has also implied that hunger must continue next year as yields will be low since many farmers will fail to procure inputs.
The other bad news is that the Met has predicted floods in the same areas that were affected last year.
I feel the solution doesn’t lie in demos.
Soon we shall have luanshya behaving the same. Ili brutal mudala :-w
#20 Sony Ericsson Phiri,
Hahahahaa… you make me laugh! Jealou of what? Plaese don’t drag me into irrational confrontations because people won’t notice the difference between you and me, if you know what I mean!
A hungry man is an angry man, RB do something before the people do you something.
#24 Shibumi & #30 Daisy, I feel you bane. You’re both talking sense.
Hey when are the demos??? I will join also… :)>-:)>-
you started it #37
Sony Ericsson Phiri
Did you have a good weekend?
# 28 Tula Twabane
How much are you being paid by RB and the suspect MMD to defend them on LT times?
Why do you call everyone who is not complimentary of the RB and the MMD , PF supporters?
Surely people have a right to demonstrate if they are hungry, particulary in light of the salary increment that your cabinent minster friends and MPs just voted for?
Nga nine Rupiah kut nalekafye ukuteka. Ifintu nafikosesha apa:-\”
CREDIT CRUNCH NEVER CAME AFTER RB OCCUPIED OFFICE. IT WAS LONG BEFORE HE EVEN HAD A HINT OF HOPE TO BECOME RULER. BUT, THERE HE WAS, LIKE A FUUL HE STARTED PROMISING FREEBIES JUST TO WIN THE ‘ERECTION’. BY THE CREDIT CRUNCH CAN NEVER BE AN EXCUSE FOR ZAMBIA. CREDIT CRUNCH OR NO CREDIT CRUNCH ZAMBIANS WERE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH POVERTY. RB IS TOO DULL AND SLEEPY TO BE PRESIDENT. ITS GOT NOTHING TO WITH HIS AGE. HIS BRAIN IS JUST A FROZEN ONE.
It was reported some time back that white farmers from Zimbabwe had moved to Zambia and sold big chunks of land. Some of us thought that food insecurity would then be a thing of the past. Has govt even bothered to find out how the land given out is being used.
Just beat them, these chaps don’t seem to have a plan for our country. They can reduce fertilizer prices to day and before the farming season ends they inflate the price. Nibashetani wabantu, nechakubalya chalibula. Last month RB increased salaries when he well knew the effect of the financial crisis and today he is crying that he does not have money. Dull chaps
YES, LET US BE VIOLENT..THATS THE ONLY WAY THIS DULL GOVERNMENT WILL COME TO THEIR SENCES.
Zambia goes metric,”50 kilometers bags of maize”
atleast better these guys have animals to sell to buy food. I imagine wat would happen to those other sisiters & brothers who don’t have anything to lean on..! that is why theft ,prostitution is common from particular areas of zed.