Zambia’s President Michael Sata appears to have shifted the goal posts on President Robert Mugabe by demanding cash upfront for maize imports, despite his earlier promises to deliver the grain on credit.
Areas in the south of the country are struggling with the food crisis, and the state-controlled media reported this week that children in Lupane are failing to attend school because of their hunger.
In a speech in May, Mugabe said that Sata had told him that 150 000 tonnes of maize valued at nearly $25-million would be delivered to Zimbabwe with no questions on payment asked as that issue was not a priority in the face of starvation.
But in Parliament, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Joseph Made said Zambia was now demanding cash up front, and so far Zimbabwe had only managed to import 14 000 tonnes of maize.
“Let me start by saying that the government is committed to importing 150 000 tonnes from Zambia. Of this, so far we have brought into the country 14 000 tonnes,” Made said.
Launching the Food and Nutrition Security Policy in Harare in May this year, Mugabe described the current food shortages as the worst in living memory, saying: “Farmers are all in tears in those areas because there is no food for the farmers themselves and no cash crop to rely on.”
A “great man”
He said Sata was a “great man” for agreeing to export the maize to Zimbabwe without insisting on immediate payment.
“When I was talking to him about what we had in mind about paying, he said ‘no, no, no’. He is a humorous man, as you know. He said ‘let’s have the food in the stomachs of our people first, and when we have the food in the stomachs, then we will talk about the price’, and I said ‘that is a great man, he shares our affliction’,” said Mugabe.
Mugabe’s spokesperson George Charamba was not immediately available for comment.
A commentator this week said that, though Sata may have made a huge political statement, his economic advisors behind the scenes might have warned him against political grandstanding at the expense of exercising financial prudence.
Economist John Robertson said Zambia might have changed its reasoning based on Zimbabwe’s track record in recent years of failing to honour its debts.
“It’s one of the consequences of failing to pay, so we are considered as a high risk. They don’t believe that we would keep our promise to pay – that’s why they need cash upfront. We have to restore our credibility as a country by becoming much more dependable payers,” said Robertson.
Sanctions, food security Zimbabwe has a $10-billion external debt that it is battling to settle.
Sata’s spokesperson George Chella said he was going to verify the details surrounding the issue, but several calls to him later went unanswered.
In Parliament, Made told lawmakers that Zimbabwe’s maize shortages were caused by sanctions imposed by Western countries. He said one of the effects of the sanctions was that farmers were failing to get or pay for farming inputs.
But Zanu-PF’s outspoken Hurungwe MP Themba Mliswa also told Parliament that ministers should stop blaming everything that is going wrong on sanctions.
Mliswa added that the country’s food security is in a precarious state. He accused the government of offering local farmers lower prices for their produce, but then paid more for imports.
“The government is paying $430 [a tonne] to import maize and that $430 is paid instantly. Our own farmers are being paid $380 and it is taking two years for them to get that money. It is a situation that the minister needs to address,” said Mliswa.
Some of the problems encountered by farmers emanated from the situation at grain parastatal the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), he said.
“They [farmers] are not prepared to grow food and sell to the GMB. For as long as GMB is not capacitated to pay the farmers, the aspect of food security will remain a problem. I say so because the government owes the GMB $44-million and that money is needed by the GMB to pay the farmers.”
The government had to come up with a “command” agricultural structure that would direct beneficiaries of its land resettlement programme to grow maize, he said.
So George Charamba mugabe`s spokesperson is taking to George Chellah Sata`s spokesperson… wow! good connection!!
Dear mr charamba and Mr. Mugabe, this man Sata is like that he sometimes says things he doesn’t mean, he made that promise just for you to win elections. Mwandini even here Ali tubepa, with so many 90days fake promises
Ifwe kuno nomba natumusula mambala
#2.3 is the only blogger who thinks before he/she inks as far as I have read. It’s sad that most Zambians don’t reason. None thinkers be reminded that its only a fuul who stick to his original plan.
MCS is the personification of don’t kubeba thus he’s always shifty.He was one thing in opposition and today he does the very things he once fervently opposed.He’s a bait and switch kind of person.
“Economist John Robertson said Zambia might have changed its reasoning based on Zimbabwe’s track record in recent years of failing to honour its debts.”
“
It’s one of the consequences of failing to pay, so we are considered as a high risk. They don’t believe that we would keep our promise to pay – that’s why they need cash upfront. We have to restore our credibility as a country by becoming much more dependable payers,” said Robertson.
please read and understand before rushing to condemn.
Politicians mdala. You did not know how they work? Where is your Robert Amsterdam? Just wondering….
How does Zambia pay it’s farmers, if it’s own debtors can’t pay?
It’s easier to criticise people you don’t like.
People are not criticizing the fact that the Zambian government is asking for payment upfront. What people are criticizing is Sata’s tendency to open his loud mouth all the time without first checking facts. How on earth was he going to procure this maize to give away to Mugabe without even a deposit?
recently,the pf govt got a foreign debt of $40milion.my question is,why borrow $40m if you can raise $25m through the sale of grain?
Simple mathematics here, $25 million is not government’s money but farmers’ money.
Government is only getting commission for transporting and selling on behalf of the farmers.
Don’t kubeba can mean a lot. Even saying something and doing the complete oposite. That’s what micheal is doing even to zambians, he promised what he is not doing. Ee don’t kubeba tata!
Will sata give us 50+1 knowing he will get 27% of votes. Are we havin a refurendum. Will he leave the seat without bloodshed when we see fights and blood among his own followers
Ba LT you are selling Zambia by writting such inciting stories. Be real and safeguard your country.
This story is all over the international media outlets from Cape Town to Ottawa and from Wellington to Los Angeles and in between. LT is just sharing with you what the international community has been reading about your country in the last 24 hours!
You s*upid *diot we need to be factual not sentimental.
Now I understand why your name is KADOLI.You think like a real kadoli. Can’t you see that after graduating from a local “Don’t Kubeba” trickster the man has gone international? The man is an embarrassment to this nation.
Good business transaction, Zimbabwe can afford to pay cash from diamonds. The discovery of diamond deposits, and they are the major producer of platinum they just have to pay cash.
Good one. Why not diamonds for maize? We can do with a few diamonds in our kitty.
Poor Mugabe! He should have known that Sata is cut from the same cloth as Kaunda. These are dishonest persons whose word nor signature cannot be trusted. Ask the people they promised things and signed documents with only to go back on their commitments! These are not people to enter into deals with. Hope you’ve learnt your lessons!
OOOH DONT KUBEBA IS TRICK IT CAN ALSO HAMMER MUGABE.YABA SO MUGABE IS ALSO CRYING OF DONT KUBEBA
Really! Whatever the promise, it has to be on condition that the borrower pays back. If suddenly Zimbos cant honour their debts you guys would be the first people to condemn Sata if suddenly he didnt have any money to pay farmers for their produce. Donchi Kubeba? shifty? No wonder us zambians are so poorny gainful decision by someone you dislike is a negative!
Our President Sata is BOTH a double and silver tongued character. It still amazes me to the core that Zambiabs chose a man with clearly a blemished past over Rupiah or HH. Anyway the writer Henrik Ibsen observed that “st-o-0pi-dity lies in the masses”thus his misgivings on democracy. Yes we should realise that there are exceptions to theories- but in Zambia this contrversial theory holds true. And you can prove this emperically- go on the street pick up 10 people. Only 3 (at most) will be found to be clever. The rest gullible simpletons- and these are the ones that voted these charlatans into power- the styopet majority- controversial but true….
I would not criticise Sata if he decided to honour his promise. It is humane to save lives and demand payment later. Insala yalikalipa! Even Comrade Mugabe looks very hungry in this pic.
HEMCS can talk and make promises out of excitement without without first taking into consideration the situation on the ground. I think he was later advised by experts to reconsider his earlier promise to Robert Mugabe and the big man changed his mind.But this is a big lesson for HEMCS that he should always consult before making pronouncements on behalf of the nation.We are very sorry comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
welcome,welcome to shipikisha club,iwe ba ku gonga,gonga ati ni real love…yonse yaja ma sweety,baby, yazasila within a month lol(singing)
Cash please! After all some of this maize is grown by commercial farmers whose farms were invaded by war- veterans in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe ruined zimbabwe. once hailed as the bread basket of Africa what happened?
I’m with Cobra on this one.
I couldn’t give you a plus or a minus. So my reply is this: Mugabe needs to be taught a lesson, while Zimbabweans must be helped.
You can’t have those two as head of state for a country and you expect change.There are too old.There should retire and pass the baton to the young generation.
You meant to use “They” and not “There”.
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The government is paying $430 [a tonne] to import maize and that $430 is paid instantly. Our own farmers are being paid $380 and it is taking two years for them to get that money. It is a situation that the minister needs to address,”
Unfortunately this statement above is slowly becoming true in Zambia, with some of our farmers not paid yet to date by FRA. Please PF do not play games with agriculture, it is expensive to import food in the world today. Please Bod Sichinga take farming seriously, in as much as you are not a farmer yourself.
Interesting how that no one blames Land Grabbing on the food crisis in that government or Parliament.
Facing up to reality is the beginning of finding a lasting solution to the problems.
LT, this story was researched, written and published by the Mail & Guardian of South Africa. You don’t mention that anywhere. Surely that is plagiarism? You can be sued for that. A small note saying ‘Source: Mail & Guardian Newspaper’ at the bottom would be the honest thing to do, saving yourselves from possible litigation.
Also, why should you be quoting a South Africa newspaper in the first place when this is a Zambian news story which you should be aware of and reporting?
Zambia needs good, fair investigative journalists, not just the ‘copy and paste’ type.
@Nathanel, good ethics. You are right it is plagiarism. LT will do well to acknowledge source, or else lawsuits will surely come. Besides, it is good ethics. Its true our Country is currently Governed by people with poor morals and bad ethic than ever before, but that is no excuse to the outside World. A wrong is a wrong and they can sue.
Yes president sata may have promised,but it should have been done in batches say give on credit 1000 tons then wait for payment not 14000 still waiting for payment.we need to pay our farmers also,Malawi failed to collect our grain due to price and mode of payments..Zim farmers diversified into growing tobacco for economic gains associated with the crop hence the starvation ,,the zim Govt however has pumped into agric support almost $500 million for next year farmer support so watch out Zambia you may need to import from there tomorrow…
‘let’s have the food in the stomachs of our people first, and when we have the food in the stomachs, then we will talk about the price’,
Reminds me of those bed time stories about Kalulu and the not so clever animals.
You don’t negotiate after the food is in the stomach! It is too late to negotiate then!
Mugabe is a very clever man!
Ba MCS, please go ahead since you promised without consulting us who grow the Maize!
Please for once, fulfill your promise to save the face of Zambia.
yaaaaaaba, these id.iots have once again blocked watchdog, leaving us with this rubbish site that does not provide well investigated reports and biased too.
Weren’t we told that one of the re-election statements from Bob was “if you want to experiment with leadership, just look up north?”
Mugabe is an educated fool. He didn’t see this coming when he started land distribution . Distribution to people who have no ideas what it takes farm commercially.
Off course he needs to pay cash up front.
Atleast sata is thinking. Zimbabwe already owe Zambia for electricity from Kariba dam.
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