The Ministry of Home Affairs has unearthed a scam where people are diverting maize destined for Food Reserve Agency (FRA) deports to neighbouring countries.
Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Steven Kampyongo, said in an interview in Chipata that unscrupulous businessmen in border towns of Eastern Province are diverting the grain to Malawi and Mozambique.
Mr Kampyongo, who could not name the culprits, said police are investigating the matter and will ensure that those involved in the illegal activities are brought to book.
He stated that government will be carrying out joint operations at border points considering the porous nature of the entry points across the province.
Mr Kampyongo said the Ministry of Home Affairs expressed concern about the matter because it has the potential to lead the country into food insecurity and pose a threat to the peace of the nation.
He advised those with intentions to export their grain to follow procedure and ensure that they have required documentation before doing so.
Mr Kampyongo noted that Zambia is under pressure because of the low production of maize in the SADC region.
“Most countries in the region have a deficit. We understand that our economy is a free market economy but what we want is people to follow the legal procedure when exporting the grain because we have government-to-government agreements with countries like Malawi,” he said.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Steven Kampyongo has instructed the police commend to identify all the wrong doers in the service in all parts of the country.
Mr Kampyongo said this is in an effort to get rid of bad elements in the police service to ensure that the police starts operating professionally and diligently.
Mr Kampyongo noted that there are a few individuals in the service who are involved in illegal activities.
He observed that there has been lawlessness, especially with the regard to road traffic offenses.
He said it is for this reason that the Ministry of Home Affairs will change its strategy on police check points in order to curb illegal activities at the check points.
Those are PAYA FYONSE(PF) cadres.
It’s RB and his family
Does it mean everyone or three quarters of Zambians are now thieves? Whats going on kanshi?
LT what are you moderating kanshi, Is someone on my case?
icho chintu! everywhere one looks there are stories of corruption,, and you never know even this ARV shortage, there might be a dark hand of corruption!!
pushing the country deep into poverty
Iwe cindy what do you expect when the top brass in government are thieves them selves. SATA and Kabimba are the masters of theft by civil servant. Most of what they have acquired over the years is through stealing from the state. They gave them selves houses built by merzaf and NHA.
In Zambia now the trend is sing “donchi kubeba” and shout SATA forever then go for big sangwapo. When you beula make sure you buy beer for Edgar Lungu to help you stop ACC, DEC and the ZP sniffing your tracks.
People say muli PF emwakupanga money because nga HH ateka akesala utupunda toonse.
Ba Cindy
Have you seen what you have started on that story about those twins being breast fed by their grandma…yayayaay.. those donations,, you never who is real or fake, awe suwa with corruptions like this in zed, you never know
There are all sorts of characters cropping up,,,,, even someone claiming to be the author,, and some chaps claiming to living near that village
Kubalekafye
Yes people in Malawi and Mozambique pay them faster than this stupi.d chimbwi no plan govt.
In a free market economy shouldn’t people have choice on where it is that they sell their output? When you remove subsidies people look for the buyer with the best price. It seems like it is okay to export, when PF cadres are involved and not for the rest.
How long are we going to be dependent on maize meal in this day and age. We should be talking are food diversification…FRA is a big scam itself.
Shut up, Kolwe, Maize has always been the staple in Zambia, ok. Why don’t you try to ask the british to stop eating sanguages and ‘diversify’ to whatever you want them to?
@Jay Jay. People like Kay will never understand what being diverse means, worse still they believe that you can only survive on nshima. All other foods such as potatoes, rice and cassava don’t count. Ba Kay if you have not travelled do not expose your ignorance. Who told you that the British do not have a diverse diet? Come to the UK and see how they really love food variety.
Spot on @Chekov!!
Quick pay ba dpt minister kaili than ur useless govt. U guys are a bunch of failures.
You have removed subsidies, so let people sell to the one who will pay them more, whether in Malawi or Zambia. You cannot have it both ways ba PF.
Leave us alone. We just need to succceeddee from Zambia and rule ourself . Why should be we be feeding fulish lazy bembaz. Grow your own food you fulls . East province does not PF scum.
Maize is going to DRC daily using GBM trucks and you are just quiete.now that east takes maize to mozambic you start barkin
And where is the evidence? Or are you just using the end of your digestive system as usual for a brain!
The boarders are very wide and you wont manage to block us. We use bush paths. They pay us 90 pin cash per 50kg while FRA offers butter system with ferttilizer or 65pin per 50kg. You my mbuyas this year you will starve if you dint plant enough tute ki ki ki ki
What do expect if we even buy cattle from Malawi and speak the language. If
@ kay, are you serious with your spelling of ‘sanguages’?
STUPID GOVERNMENT,WHERE WERE U THE PAST TIME?.AT CREDIT WITH A CHEAP PRICE/ WITH K90 CASH.DONT BE FOOLISH,U MEAN HOLDING A RECEIT IN A HOUSE WITHOUT CASH?.U’R CHIMBWI NO PLAN,AND U’R BUZZY GETTING ALLOWANCES.REMOVING SUBSIDIE THIS IS UR RESULT.
Dalo, Dalo, Dalo … but Zambia we are Dalo. Guys this is yawnig market take advantage and produce more and meet this demand. We stand to earn valuable forex from maize exports and create sustainable employment. Exports should vigorusly be supported by gvt not vice versa. Koma ma blacks how do we think kansi????
I see no illegality in selling maize or any other commodity anywhere in free market economy. Govt has not done much to attract the farmers to venture into maize production why then restrict where to sell?. I would be reluctant to sell maize on credit to FRA when there is a yawning market elsewhere. We need to under the economics of production and demand