President Edgar Lungu has said that he is saddened that some people want to politicize the hunger situation in some parts of the country.
Speaking when he officiated at the launch of the Harvest of Winter Maize by Zambeef Plc at Zambeef Farm in Sinazongwe district of Southern Province yesterday, the Head of State warned politicians not to politicize climate change and the hunger situation in some parts of the country.
“It is dreadful that even with the overwhelming evidence on the presence of climate change, we still have doubting Thomases who have been dismissing the phenomenon as a fallacy”
“My Administration will not take advantage of this situation to gain cheap political mileage. We are aware of the many lives which are at stake. There is no need to play politics about this serious natural phenomenon,” he said.
The President advised Zambians to channel their support towards areas affected by hunger to relevant institutions such as the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) because it ensures that the help (relief food) reaches those that need it the most.
President Lungu has said DMMU under the Office of the Vice- President is the only institution with the capacity to distribute relief food to affected households in a coordinated and effective manner.
He said Southern Province is one such area that needs a lot of support and that his government welcomes support from all Zambians regardless of their political affiliation, tribe or standing in society.
“I wish to appeal to all well-meaning Zambians to come forward and provide support to people in areas affected by hunger. In Southern Province and indeed, other parts of the country, agricultural production has reduced significantly. This has made access to food for many Zambian households whose areas had poor yields, very difficult,” he said.
President Lungu assured that no one will die from hunger because the government through DMMU will provide relief to affected households.
“My government is determined to see to it that no life is lost because of hunger. I, therefore, wish to assure the Nation that every effort is being made to provide relief to affected households, this has, therefore, helped us plan our efforts in a more coordinated and effective manner,” he said.
He said efforts by DMMU have helped to cushion the impact of hunger that many families are faced with.
“So far, the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), through the DMMU has released one million by fifty-kilogram bags of maize to mostly families affected by hunger.
TO ME SOUNDS LIKE THE ONLY THING BOTHERING YOU ABOUT THE HUNGER SITUATION ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO GAIN POLITICAL MILEAGE FROM IT. SORT OUT THE HUNGER SITUATION AND THE NOISE WILL STOP TRUST ME. TREAT THE DISEASE NOT THE SYMPTOMS. LET YOUR LEADERSHIP ABILITIES SILENCE YOUR CRITICS
@zambian by blood. I totally agree with you. The only thing worrying Lungu is losing political popularity and nothing else. He is the one politising the hunger situation and nobody else. On climate change, when did he become an expert? Zambia hasnt been affected by climate change but by seasonal changes which could have been anticipated had the people mandated to do that had been doing their work. Lungu stop politising the hunger situation and just carry on with you campaign. We know what you are doing.
I don’t think ECL reflects on wht he wishes to say publicly. Wht does he mean politicising hunger? Politics isn’t really a bad thing whn u apply your mind productively because it is the means through which a free society deals with collective issues. It is pettiness among some politicians that we should all deplore. If indeed politics is a bad thing wht is he doing in it himself? I hope this simple lesson in how to think is learned.
Snakes found in water areas, especially swamps, have less side-effects compared to those from the dry lands like Mbala mountains.
The snake these guys eat is called impini. If get bitten by impini, the common side effects/reaction is loss of sight. Most of Zambian snakes likes to spit in eyes so you don’t see clearly.
This s first time Ba Edgar is forced to wear his wife’s prada sunglasses.
Show me another picture of Ba Edgar in sunglasses.
Guys please don’t taste, an don’t Zambian snakes, they are toxic!!
@Nemwine, I agree with you entirely. He also needs to be reminded why the tax payer spends so much on him in terms of free accommodation, good, transport etc. It’s about time ZAMBIANS got value for their money. So why did Lungu signed SI No 62 of 2017 degazetting of the Forest number 27, knowing very well that forest reserve is the only forest remaining in Lusaka and a recharge area for chalimbana and Chongwe rivers?
Bowise: Great thinking. Adjusting to climate change was a key theme in his state of the nation address to parliament last month. How does he reconcile that with degazzeting a forest that supports the viability of the Chalimbana river? Forests are protected for a reason and that reason remains valid even if land-hungry and moneyed PF politicians suddenly want to become farmers and only in Lusaka apparently not anywhere else in Zambia.
WARNS?
LT, this headline is misleading.
Mr. President, personally I am sadened by your constant unwarranted threats which are in open conflict with the Constitution and, most definitely, unbecoming to the Office of the President of the Republic of Zambia.
The FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION is NOT subject to your political whims, but is GUARANTEED by the same Constitution which you did take Oath of Office to SERVE AND PROTECT.
Therefore Mr. President, instead of playing innocent victim, roll-up your socks and do the job you have been elected to do.
The president in glasses looks like a drug baron. Napita
State house 2019….Kaiser as political adviser
This boy is uselsess, tis thieving wanna be lawyer who stole from a widow is the worst president on earth… Useless chap
It beggars belief that you yourself along with your mob of characters you call ministers have been grasping at phenomena like climate change to explain away the incompetence of your parastatals, your own policy drivers as well as your operatives. It is very sad. You are also keen on doing photo ops with bags of mealie meal at the expense of allowing all meaningful, philanthropist locals who genuinely want to help. So help you God.
Look at the guy who politicized Zambia’s judiciary after the Kenya petition verdict. The hypocrisy is real coz you’re afraid of hurtful political truths Bwana Lungu.
ECL AND PF HAVE NOT STOPPED POLITICISING IT. WINTER MAIZE HAS BEEN GROWN FOR YEARS WHY NOW SUDDENLY MAKE IT NEWS HEADLINES. THEYLL DO ALL THEY CAN TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE LIKE DECREASE THE BUDGET FOR CONSERVATION TO 0.6% — TALK IS CHEAP PF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The one denying the existence of food deficit in the country is the one politicizing hunger! Your doctored DMMU report contradicts your empty statements! The report says 58 Districts or 50% of the country is in food deficit. How does that become political when it is the opposition that was actually the first to state what your report says? Your obsession with Mr HH Bwana is not healthy! If I were you Mr man, I would listen more to HH and implement his ideas the way Mwanawasa was implementing some of Sata’s ideas and advice! The hallmark of great leaders is LISTENING to advice from those they least like! The only thing standing between you Mr Man and progress is PRIDE and ARROGANCE! Humble people listen! Pay attention to under Five children in rural areas who need not only Maize meal but…
He is trying to say don’t politicise my corruption and incompetence that now under cover of climate change……
Lungu ,
did you know Zambia has the highest number of water bodies in southern Africa ?? Did you know Zambia basks in sunshine almost all year round ??
@Spaka, if only he could spends more time looking for solutions that lay bare on his backyard rather than thrive on excuses If he spent more time with scientists rather than drunkards, he would in fact relies that climate change is actually an opportunity for Zambia.
Bowise
Ypu are right……Just look at his advisors ……kaizer Zulu who is terrorising Zambians , freedom sikazwe ???
Pay particular attention to under Five children nutrition in rural areas who need not only Maize meal but protein Soy meal as food supplementation before the Malnutrition we see becomes a national disaster! You still need to swallow your pride and declare a Food Deficit SOS so that we upscale High Protein and Energy Supplementary (HEPS) feeding for under five children! Maize alone is not enough! That’s not balanced emergency diet! If you can’t listen to HH because of your pride, please listen to the International Red Cross which has presence in our country and has given the same observation as other local and international stakeholders! Or is it your lack of vision hindering you from seeing what others have seen? Pride goes before the fall! You can’t start issuing threats to opposition…
You can’t start issuing threats to opposition parties in a democracy baba! That is shocking big headedness! Prove your point than issuing threats as if Zambia belongs to your father! Dictatorship doesn’t work in Zambia! Try it and you won’t know what removes you from power! Focus on real issues affecting people like Load shedding, job losses, SME business failure, high cost of living (food busket over K6,000), food deficit and the increasingly Valueless Kwacha to mention the few emerging problems!
@Mwine Mushi Kudos for a valid point. The biggest problem we have in Zambia is that when you say the truth, then you are an opposition and they won’t listen to you. It’s not about HH said this or other opposition, its about all Zambians, people are suffering while these guys are enjoying Tax payers money. Mugabe messed up because he was arrogant and stubborn, never wanted to listen to other people tell him about Zimbabwe (Blair take your pink nose out of Zimbabwe). When the opposition tell him not to borrow more kaloba, Edgar will go and do the opposite and buy the private jet when civil servant have not been paid and Kariba Dam needs to be fixed to reduce Load shedding. Tourists are no longer going to see the Victoria Falls on the Zambian side but they see Vic Falls on the Zimbabwean…
Neighbour I bought you a bag of meali meal you requested but then I have to first channel it to DMMU in Lusaka then from there DMMU will bring it to your door step since they know about your anger situation. Good luck neba.
continue, 10.1… the Zimbabwean side because the Zambian side is dry, why because the Zambian side diverted the water from the Zambezi river before the water Falls to help the water lever for Power supply and that did not help on Load shedding but lost more revenue on Tourism. Poor management in our country. Arrogance in our top leadership
Every time this man opens his stinking mouth, he puts his foot right into it!
The time has come for the provinces to team up with the farmers and tell the central government that will take care of our people, will let you know if we need you by withholding taxes you’ll in pause on Provinces. When the President says my administration it sounds arrogant and condescending.
ECL the serpent,STOP PLAYING GAMES.Sort out the real issues affecting zambians,Hunger,Loadshedding,……etc.
Tired, stereotype words such as “politicise” are typical of tyrants who mean “don’t talk about this”. Why should people be limited to “suitable” statements? Let the people talk!
At Nostradamus, I was also wondering why he was wearing a pair of women’s glasses, Johnny come lately
If Zambians can’t question how the winter maize has been grown in a place that was the driest last rain season with such success instead of places that had enough rainfall last rain season to the extent of flooding , then all citizens in this country need to go back to kindergarten and start allover once again.
That’s true Mr president if you want to give go and give people who deal with disaster issues…let’s stop cheap politics. ..
When you know you, you know… Losing grip slowly
It is the government that is politicizing the hunger situation when it denies a well meaning donation from a political opponent, then fail to provide for the targeted people.
The same HH he hates so much is a big shareholder in Zambeef! We know that Zambeef has countrywide presence and for them to prove that Maize can be grown successfully under irrigation in the most drought devastated region of the country must get our GRZ thinking for once! Doesn’t Mr Man know that he was flagging off the harvest of HH’s Maize the way his wife officially opened HH’s clinic without knowing? If only we could invest the cost of one fire truck into the purchase of Pivot irrigation systems for ZNS farms, we would not be wasting time crying about climate change! Maybe the eating of serpents will open some eyes for once to understand that leadership is about public service and problem solving and not self enrichment! Between ECL and HH, HH has proved to be a better steward!…
True leaders prove their worth in crisis times! A leader who cries climate change instead of offering solutions is a failure!
SHAME ON YOU ZAMBIANS FOR VOTING THIS CLUELESS BOOT INTO OFFICE.
Jona & his thieving Corrupt cronies were warned NOT to sell off Zambia’s grain surplus, but this Tavern boy from Jack Compound in Chawama began his usual visionless politicking, & is on record saying we have enough grain surplus, sold the grain to fund his equally brainless Cadres like ka diseased Dandy Krazy, & all his useless Dununa reverse praise singers.
NOW NJALA YANGENA, YOU BLAME THE OPPOSITION??
This drunk who has NO VISION, apart from wearing Women’s sunglasses, will Bankrupt Zambia by the time he’s out of office, & make Zimbabwe’s bankruptcy look like a Sunday children’s picnic.
IN THE MEANTIME, USELESS VISIONLESS ONE, HAS STILL NOT RELIEVED HIS EQUALLY USELESS & VIOLENT KAIZER OF HIS DUTIES, DESPITE…
Cont;
KAIZER OF HIS DUTIES DESPITE SCANDAL AFTER SCANDAL AFTER SCANDAL!!
Un planned settlement schemes, unlawful cutting of trees, people destroying river banks and sources, all forests have been destroyed, this has led to to poor rain fall pattern. The government is so weak to control the situation. People do not know the importance of trees. If this continues things will be worse than this in our country. We need a government with a voice than just crying climate change. There is a reason for climate change. Maintain trees, protect forest and river banks. Let trees grow and we will see change.
Mr ECL is living on another Planet.Climate change and food security are the two most pressing issues of our time.Hence we have seen people the world over taking protest to the political establishment so that they can implement the necessary policies.In short climate change and hunger are stackable issues for you politicians if you dont handle this politics of food and climate
Mr ECL is living on another Planet.Climate change and food security are the two most pressing issues of our time.Hence we have seen people the world over taking protest to the political establishment so that they can implement the necessary policies.In short climate change and hunger are stackable issues for you politicians if you dont handle this politics of food and climate properly.
He is always warning people about something. Next he will be warning those going to poop that they are wasting water after flashing the toilet. Everything has become a crime. We need some action and we have to talk about the hunger situation affecting our country. It does not affect you because your belly is always full. Something must be done to calm the hunger storm.
HOW MUCH DID IT COST TO SEND ALL THE DIGNATORIES, THE PRESIDENT, THE BODY GAURDS, ETC ETC TO SINAZONGWE TO WITNESS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR YEARS ????????? THIS MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN SPENT ON MITIGATING CLIMATE CHANGE, HOW MUCH TAX PAYERS MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON ALL THE OTHER ROUND THE COUNTRY WORKING VISIT CAMPAINING TRIPS ?????? HOW MUCH PF ??? HOW
In my town, most people are scared of exercising their freedom of expression, because they are afraid of getting jailed for pouring out their anger on the government, which is a rational action. Well, I am not like them although I ain’t gonna politicise climate change and hunger situation. What I have here is one simple question on climate change: What causes people to cut down trees? The answers to this question will tell you the person responsible for everything happening in Zambia.
Snake Eater is never going to do anything.