President Edgar Lungu has assured the nation that government has put in place measures to ensure that adequate maize stocks are secured to guarantee both household and national food security.
And President Lungu has appealed to traditional leaders in the country to support government to deliver development across the country.
Speaking during a brief meeting with four traditional leaders who included Chiefs Choongo, Hamusonde, Chona and Monze in Monze district yesterday, President Lungu said government was ready to sacrifice resources of other economic demands to secure enough food stock for the country.
The president noted that the country still had enough maize stock to last up to June this year adding that the government was making frantic efforts to import more maize stocks in case of poor crop yields because of the poor rainfall patterns in most parts of the country experienced so far.
“ I want to assure the nation that my government is making all efforts to secure adequate maize stocks because the current stocks we have will be depleted by June this year,” said President Lungu.
“As government we are alive to the fact that we have poor rainfall patterns in some parts of the country but as Patriotic Front (PF) government we shall do whatever it takes, even sacrifice resources meant for economic growth to ensure that no Zambian starves to death as a result of hunger,” said Mr. Lungu.
He disclosed that government was committed to prudently use the available resources to buy maize stocks from South America as well as setting up solar milling plants across the country as soon as possible to make mealie meal prices affordable to all Zambians.
According to recent World Food Programme (WFP) study an estimated 14 million people risk facing serious hunger in Southern Africa following the effects of adverse climatic conditions during the last farming season.
And President Lungu noted that traditional leaders should guide politicians in their ‘talk’ that has the potential to plunge the country into chaos.
The Head of state stated that in as much as traditional leaders had the democratic right to support a particular party it was their obligation to create harmony and peace in the manner politics should be conducted to preclude divisions in the country
“You may prefer one party over another but I think the most important thing is that we are all your children and so it is just right that you guide us in the manner we talk, and help us to create decency, harmony and ultimately peace in our politics because our unity as a country transcends politics,” said Mr. Lungu.
He also noted that it was important for traditional leaders to also support government in its endeavour to deliver development to all parts of the country.
Meanwhile, Chief Hamusonde who spoke on behalf of the other chiefs thanked the PF government for working on the Monze –Nieko road, constructing 11 health posts, and offloading maize to enable Monze residents buy in light of the hunger in the district adding that all these were achievements which eluded previous governments.
However, Chief Hamusonde also appealed to government to consider among other things increasing allowances for traditional leaders, grading roads leading to chiefs’ palaces and increasing the number of packs from current one pack to previous five per traditional leader.
He wondered why allocation of packs to chiefs has been reduced to one during the 2015/2016 farming season and appealed to the Head of State to look into the matter as a matter of urgency considering that the traditional leaders pay for their packs allocated to them.
In response President Lungu assured the traditional leaders that all their concerns would be addressed as soon as possible, noting the demands for increase in number of input packs, grading of rural roads and increment of Chief’s allowances would be considered as a priority.
The Head of State who toured the Nieko-Monze road and later received a thunderous welcome from Monze residents who jostled to catch a glimpse of him as he toured the township roads.
He was accompanied by the First Lady Esther Lungu, Provincial Minister Nathaniel Mubukwanu, presidential aide Amos Chanda and other senior and government officials.
Regionalism or nega nega is not going to work in 2016 elections because the hidden regional agenda behind uPND was unearthed when you closely see the 2015 voting pattern. We wont allow regional politicians to rule Zambia because Zambia is greater than one province or region.
FULL STOP
@ ZIP, You may use different names but we know you are one and the same person with a small brain who is not thinking beyond your nose. Thats what happens when you spend too much time looking after old people as a Job.
Talking about regionalism? Is northwestern, western or central southern prov as well? Lets see, how did luapula, muchinga, northen vote? Did they vote UPND? NO! How dare you zip wanza weyi insinuate regionalism when it is UPND. Lets go eastern province, what was the pattern there? In fact wako ni wako syndrome there was open place there. What a skank you are zip.
This is naked and wanton campaigning before parliament is dissolved and is a rampant violation of electoral code of conduct.
And yet the Electoral Commision is very loudly quiet!!!
But what do Zambian bloggers see?? That this is perfectly normal and continue.
Zambia, my friends has during PF rule come dangerously close to being a one party state.
Better to remove these !mbeciles “whose god is their belly”.
Did I read right on one of those pictures’ caption? Does it say, “President Lungu Public Rally in Choma”? When did the campaigns officially start?
BA ZIP DON’T TALK OF TRIBAL, I CHALLENGE YOU TO COMMENT ON REAL ISSUES LIKE FOOD SECURITY. LAST YEAR 2015 WE HAD A LOT OF MAIZE STOCKS, OUT OF THAT YOU BA PF YOU OPTED TO EXPORT PART OF THE MAIZE. THE OPPOSITION PARTIES TRIED TO ADVISE YOU GUYS NOT TO EXPORT MAIZE, BUT YOUR MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE GIVEN LUBINDA SAID EVEN IF WE EXPORT 1000 METRIC TONES OF MAIZE WE STILL REMAIN WITH ENOUGH STOCK THAT CAN FEED THE NATION FOR ANOTHER YEAR. NOW THE STATEMENT FROM HIS EXCELLENCY IS THAT THE STOCKS OF MAIZE WILL BE DEPLETED BY JUNE 2016. NOW WHERE IS THE LOGIC HERE, YOU EXPORT AND AT THE SAME TIME YOU IMPORT. SIT DONE AND THINK TWICE BEFORE DECISIONS ARE PAST ON. BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS REVERSING YOUR DECISIONS AS A RESULT WE ARE NOT DEVELOPING. LEAVE IT PEOPLE OR LEADERS WHO CAN THINK OUTSIDE…
Southerners are good people; they are independent minded and do not need bribes to work with anybody. Look at how they went to listen to ECL and I wish the same opportunity was given to HH and others in certain parts of the country without sponsored violence. Even after being insulted, the Southerners still listened to ECL. Don’t be fooled though, they know deep inside what is of quality, truthful, and genuine.
Yet Mrs Mumbi Phiri and Jean Kapata don’t seem to make a clear point with a straight answer when HH complains that the opposition also be availed free passage to traverse the country and carry out party mobilization exercises! No existing law bars any citizen from traveling to any part of the country whenever they feel like, but with the way selective freedom of movement is applied on citizens it makes it seem as if Zambia is a class society where there are groups of people who are not allowed to go where they want? No one or group is arguing on the mandate of Edgar Lungu as national and PF president that he can travel anywhere or nowhere around the country foremost as a citizen and second for the portfolios he holds but why then should other citizens be denied similar rights to traverse…
contd. …..the country to do what is their concern as long as they are not breaking any written laws? They have no projects to inspect because they have not yet been accorded the privilege of being in plot one where they can institute projects with taxpayers money which they can then move around to inspect and ensure non wastage of resources. Mrs Mumbi Phiri must not hide the national traversing of President Lungu behind project inspection for even those without the grade 12 minimum education requirement can tell that his is state sponsored project-cum-campaign visits! Please let opposition political contestants be protected by fairness of the law that they too move around the country freely and conduct party organization programs in any part of their motherland as long as they are not…
contd. ….interfering with the presidents schedule! Oh! Maybe there is clandestine monitoring that requires the president to listen in to what his opponents are doing that can not simultaneously done if he too is visiting elsewhere.
You are correct southerners don’t need bribes but bitter people…its normal voting year in year out yet the individual you are voting for/abandoning other important works for, keep on keeping on losing…its really painful…I wish I can do something but alas I just have one vote right…I feel badddd
Humble leader we have in the name of ecl nayo nayo
@ZIP
Southerners are good people; they are independent minded and do not need bribes to work with anybody. Look at how they went to listen to ECL and I wish the same opportunity was given to HH and others in certain parts of the country without sponsored violence. Even after being insulted, the Southerners still listened to ECL. Don’t be fooled though, they know deep inside what is of quality, truthful, and genuine.
The guy bans others from talking about tribalism then he goes around promoting it himself.
He instructs his govt to export maize then within four months he wants us to import the same.
And when people say visionless CNP, ati awe balekeni baliba ‘amble. Kuwayawaya fye.
Ndamyeba nati aka kamuntu kasushi fye. Tamwaba mano nakalya mukamutwe ka mushishi kwati balunshi bakungeme ku mafi. Lisebanya sana! Nangu bamo batila ukutuka kateka ninshi watuke calo, ifyo fine kanshi! Ubupuba bwafulisha muli catile aka! i am getting so impatient with this thing! I hope he drops dead and gets eaten by wild dogs. ni kamuntu kopusa ngako aka!
If Lungu is as popular as he claims-why does he not allow others to campaign freely?? We are tired of hearing the same stories from empty charlatans in the likes of Kambwili, Fatherless Bwalya, confused Davies Chama and Mumbi Phiri(who at one time exposed the Presidents nakedness). The only thing PF/MMD seems to talk about is tribalism which cannot develop the nation. PF/MMD alliance has messed up the country with their lack of vision. Anyone in their camp can say anything including insults without the President taking any action.Some of his inner circle have revealed affairs that are now in the public domain
LUNGU IS NOT CAMPAIGNING ONLY OVERSEEING DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS AND LECTURING HH THE UNDER 5 AND UPND ABOUT NOT BEING VIOLENT DURING THIS COMING ELECTIONS.
Ati we want candidates with at least grade 12 certificate. Lungu’s performance is below that of an uneducated person. No evidence to show he has stepped in a law class at some university. No ethics, no morals and above all no direction. How important a yardstick is a ‘school education’ if it doesn’t transform a savage into a civilized person?
check records whoever you are before you push anything public…thats the danger of eating nshima with mabisi
In all honest there was poor planning. You can not have maize reserves to last you for six months, thus upto June when we all know that this year’ harvest only dries up arround July/August. To me, there was poor planning by the Minstry of Agriculture. In other countries honourable Lubinda could have stepped down. In Zambia there is nothing like failure, it global.
I m proud to be called zambian at the moment coz of the incredible levels of stupiidity and idiocy. How can you sell all your staple food and then import again. Absolute lunancy!
@ntaulu or musankwa, ati quality, truthful and genuine? What is truthful about HH and dr banda and his entire team of Opposers cheating retrenched miners that they all will be reinstated when uPMD comes to power? What is genuine about that? What quality is there with the likes of GBM who not so long you called a fat Albert without brains? You guys sung too much and too loudly, now it’s our turn to remind you of your lies. In Bemba they say that ubufi bulabwela ku mwine!
Va Lungu vatata we sell all our white maize and then start importing GMO maize in June from South America?
This is the worst calculation and you tell the nation that you are not responsible for this mess?
Country men we need serious government.
Why I don’t believe in what HH and GBV SAYS. Let me start with HH-1. HH herds a lot of cattle which feeds on free grass but his product meat is the most expensive than what it is pegged at in neighboring countries, very few people can afford his product but he lies that he has a heart for poor people.2.GBV he buys maize from the poor Zambians at K5O PER 50KG but sell at K100 per 50kg.This two greed people they will kill poor people is they are given chance to rule this country they are sadists they claim that they care for you Zambian its total blue lies .EDGAR IS IS BETTER THAN THESE GREEDY GUYS.
@Silencer; why don’t you also go into farming – it is free & you will also sell your products at market rates.