The Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) and the Good Governance unit of the Caritas-Chipata have joined hands to mobilize farmers to stage a peaceful demonstration to press government to pay farmers who have not been paid for the maize the supplied to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
CSPR Eastern Province Coordinator, Maxson Nkhoma, said the decision was made when the two organisations held consultative meetings with cooperative leaders and farmers’ associations whose members have been affected by the delayed payments.
Mr Nkhoma said a communique has since been processed and will be sent to farmer associations and cooperatives whose members have not yet been paid to mobilise the farmers in readiness for the protests which he said will be held next week if government does not make the payments.
He stated that the protest will be held in various districts, saying he could not reveal the dates when they will be held for security reasons.
The CSPR coordinator accused government of trivialising the marketing of maize, saying despite several assurances that money was released the money has not reached the pay points.
He stated that government has not attached importance and urgency to the matter despite having the capacity to pay within a short period of time.
“There is no justification for the continued delays in paying the farmers but government lacks seriousness in making the right investment choices. The agricultural sector is the pillar of economic prosperity, job creation and food security, so this matter should be addressed with the seriousness it deserves,” he said.
Mr Nkhoma also stated that further delays in paying the farmers have the potential to erode public confidence in the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), adding that farmers may be reluctant to sell their maize to the agency in the next farming season.
Mr Nkhoma appealed to government to pay the farmers as further delays may lead to increased poverty levels among people especially in rural areas where the majority depend on farming.
And some people claim it is political parties inciting people to demonstrate. Today they are actually inciting farmers to hold peaceful demos for delayed payment. I challenge Mr. W. Simuusa to confront CSPR and CARITAS if this is indeed illegal.
The farmers will punish the Paya Farmer party.
The Menace Of False Prophets And Pastors In Africa
They rob and steal from the people. They speak lies and utter vain prophecies and visions, leading people astray. They draw people to themselves, claiming to have a special relationship with God, but they lie and deceive the people.They claim to know everything about you but they lie, and know nothing! They sleep with married women and break the hearts of single women. They destroy homes and families. They destroy marriages, businesses and destinies. They are mere diviners and sorcerers and are no prophets of God at all.
The problem of false prophets and pastors is not peculiar to Africa alone, but is all over the world.
I thought Kalaba said farmers have been paid their money already and challenged any one to ask him any question regarding farmers’ payment and how much Mugabe pledged to fund lungu’s campaigns.
PF officials are pathetic f00ls and liars.
If you want more corruption, wage freeze, high cost of living,lies, tribalism, nepotism, confusion and no new constitution then vote PF.
If you want corruption, theft, more medical tourism,and confusion to come back then vote MMD.
UPND is the only one that offers non of the above. So vote UPND for prudent economical management, rule of law, corruption free, confusion free, new constitution,lower cost of living, on time payment to farmers and contractors,affordable education and health care for all, and for consistency and certainty.
HH…
Fya bufi ifyo. Delayed payments , regrettable as it is, occur in all types of business. HH cant guarantee this as even his business times and again even delays paying its workers. This should not be the major campaign issue. Winning we are and all these challenges will be resolved. Viva EL and PF !!!!!!
Yeah,this is the only time to persuade them to pay farmers,should in case they win elections at least you people know that they will disappear and pretend they don’t owe you any money.
Its like PF is too smart for most pipo in zambia. How do you advise pipo to demonstrate when they are almost winding up. This Govt has so many projects building storage facilities is one of them. Govt does not make any profit in the business of maize it is just a way of helping its citizens
Ever heard of our Nigerian colleagues’ saying : “Baboon de work and monkey de chop!”
The farmers did their bit and delivered the produce to FRA who in turn is dilly dallying settling payment while leaders are in banquet halls!
I fail to get it. It is the responsibility the government to make sure that farmers are paid in good time, this a national security issue. If these farmers are not paid how are they going to be productive? No maize, that country goes to the dogs, it is not like there is no demand for maize. The government is not trying to help the farmers, it is in fact the responsibility of the government to make sure that all activities related to food are resolved without punishing innocent lives. UNIP, MMD and PF did not do a good job on governance. Maize is needed in the neighboring Zimbabwe, I am sure in a free market economy farmers would not be complaining about this an caring government who only think about themselves, stealing on poor people. Vote them out, even a chicken would do better.
Mondo and Figo, I think you have small brains, think. These farmers did there part. How do you survive as an employee if you go to work and don’t get paid for three months? I bet you must part of this thieving government, shame on you morons. Even things that are straight forward are debatable?