Police in Kaoma yesterday used tear-gas canisters to disperse over 500 irate tobacco farmers who wanted to beat up an accountant from Japan Tobacco International group of companies for non-payment of their dues.
The farmers almost descended on the accountant and blocked the door to Regina Home based care where the payments for the 2011/2012 tobacco sold to the Japanese company were being made.
However, police quickly whisked the accountant away and used tear-gas to control the situation.
Kaoma police officer – in –charge Rodgers Chiwila appealed to the irate farmers to follow proper procedures when airing their grievances as the law will not defend perpetrators of violence.
Meanwhile, Kaoma district commissioner Joster Manjolo has threatened to suspend and chase away investors who come in the name of uplifting the living standards of farmers but end up cheating them.
This came to light yesterday when over 500 hundred tobacco farmers stormed his office to air their grievances on how Japanese Tobacco International (JTI) group of companies was failing to pay them their monies.
Speaking of behalf of his fellow tobacco farmers, Richard Musangu of Kamuni area in Kaoma district complained to government through the office of the district commissioner to assist them so that they could get their funds.
Mr Musangu said the Patriotic Front government was a listening government that intends to put more money in people’s pockets and that investors should assist government in alleviating poverty in the country.
He said over 500 tobacco farmers that included women have spent over five days in the cold waiting for the JTI accountant to pay them but to no avail .
The Japanese company was supposed to pay 2,125 farmers in the district but only 20 farmers have received their money as of last week Monday.
Mr Musangu complained that already rains have started and they were supposed to start cultivating their fields but they were still queuing to receive their dues of tobacco which they supplied to JTI in the 2011/2012 farming season.
And district commissioner, Joster Manjolo has urged the farmers to be patient as government is seriously looking into their plight.
He said his office will not tolerate a situation where farmers were being mistreated by investors instead of assisting them in any way possible.
A visibly annoyed Mr Manjolo urged the tobacco farmers to remain calm as government does will not allow a situation where the farmers will be subjected to suffering working hard to produce crops such as tobacco.
The district commissioner has however taken up the challenge of feeding the farmers from distant villages and that no one should go back to their villages until JTI met its obligations.
After selling you their hardly earned products, now their take home is a tear gas what a govt!!!!!!!
Ha surprised Manjolo District Commissioner.
JUST PAY THE FARMERS, IMWE.
PF government has not paid Maize Suppliers-How do expect JTI to pay tobacco farmers? Good Governance is about leading by examples.See now,the DC is toothless except making wild comments,empty threats.
CNP.
This is wrong, very wrong. Japan Tobacco International is simply emulating the Govt of the day. This kind of governance is totally self defeating and very insulting to all hard working well meaning people. How can we even talk about job creation thru secondary processing industries in Agro business if the primary source of raw materials is mistreated to this extent. This is a farce.   Â
The so called investor must pay withing a month of receiving the produce the same goes for FRA why should farmers be turned into beggars when you are sitting in government offices doing nothing but milking the very money that these poor people pay in taxes from inputs. This is why the southern white farmers have refused to make donations for independence celebrations because there was nothing to celebrate about when people cannot get their money and send their children to school.
Paya Farmer (PF)!