Government has sourced K8 billion to pay Serenje farmers who yesterday protested against the delay to pay them money for the maize they sold to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

Serenje District Commissioner (DC), Charles Mwelwa, confirmed to ZANIS in Kabwe today, saying the farmers have started getting their money today.

Mr Mwelwa said government owed Serenje farmers a balance of K8.2 billion, adding that the remaining K200 million will soon be found to clear all the farmers owed for their maize.

Mr Mwelwa appealed to farmers who will not be paid from the K8 billion to remain calm, saying government was determined to clear all the farmers by paying them their money.

He explained that several farmers yesterday protested and in the process damanged his vehicle by stoning it in anger about the delay to be paid.

Mrs Susan Chileshe, a farmer, complained that the delay to pay them their money affected them a lot because they could not prepare adequately for this season.

Mrs Chileshe further complained of alleged corruption, saying farmers who delivered earlier their maize were left out and only those who delivered later were being paid.

ZANIS

The Patriotic Front (PF) party in Southern Province has called for the complete overhaul of Food Reserve Agency management on allegations that it has failed to perform to people’s expectations.

Southern Province PF provincial Youth Secretary, Fred Kanela, said the party in the province is not pleased with the operations of the FRA towards handling and addressing the affairs of farmers that had supplied their maize to the agency.

Mr Kanela requested Health Minister, Joseph Kasonde, who was in Mazabuka district yesterday to launch the newly upgraded Mazabuka Sugar clinic into a hospital that there is need for President Michael Sata to reshuffle management at the FRA come next year.

He charged that as a party in the province, they are against the style of work that the current crop of FRA officials are exhibiting which has led to farmers failing to get their money despite government releasing it on time.

He said the party is concerned and touched with the hardships farmers in the area have been subjected to just for them to get their money, a situation he described as unfortunate.

Mr Kanela told Dr Kasonde, who paid a courtesy call on Mazabuka District Commissioner, Eugene Munyama at his office this morning, that farmers in the area have not been treated properly by FRA officials who have failed to conduct their business in a proper and transparent manner.

He said farmers have in most cases been made to travel long distances from their villages with the assurance from the FRA that they would find their money in the bank but to the contrary the banks would inform them that the money was not there.

Mr Kanela charged that if allowed to continue, farmers in the entire province, who are also voters, will lose confidence in the party, a thing they said as officials of the PF party they will not condone.

And the District Commissioner, Eugene Munyama echoed the sentiments made by the party official, saying the operations of FRA in Mazabuka district at the moment are a thorn in the flesh.

Mr Munyama said at the moment is office is spending more time addressing various grievances from farmers who go to his office to seek his interventions.

He said the current operations of FRA are a let down to the government which he said sourced enough money to pay the farmers on time.

And Dr Kasonde assured that he will address the issue of FRA with his counterpart at the Ministry of Agriculture, Emmanuel Chenda.

ZANIS

Police have busted a highly-organised copper theft syndicate in which some unscrupulous people, including a Chinese national, have been stealing copper and stashing it in a warehouse on the Chingola-Chililabombwe road.

Law enforcement officers, led by the Anti-Copper Theft Crack Squad, recovered more than 50 tonnes of copper ore worth about K6 billion yesterday and arrested a Chinese national in connection with the theft.

Police believe that the copper ore was stolen from Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) in Chingola and that more people would be rounded up.

Copperbelt province police, Chief Mary Tembo confirmed the incident and identified the Chinese national as Pan Weifeng, aged 25.

The contraband was recovered from a warehouse on plot 4175 on the Chingola/Chililabombwe road and was yesterday taken to KCM plant to establish if it was stolen from Nchanga open pit.

Ms Tembo said police received a tip from members of the public that stolen copper ore had been hidden at a warehouse.

“Acting on the report, police obtained a search warrant and rushed to the warehouse. Unfortunately the Chinese national operating from there got wind of it and ran away. A manhunt was launched while the place was put under 24-hours guard,” she said.

On Thursday last week, police received information that the Chinese national was hiding in Ndola at a warehouse in Ndola. A second search was made at the place where a Chinese national was found.

“After talking to him, he brought Pan on November 23 who was immediately detained. A search was conducted at the warehouse along the Chingola/Chililabombwe road where the copper ore was found,” she said.

A combined team of Anti-Copper Theft Crack Squad and police had sealed off the premises as they finalised their investigations.

A KCM truck was found on the scene waiting to load the copper ore to be ferried back to the plant. Pan was taken to the warehouse in the company of police officers who had driven him from Ndola.

Government has vowed to protect new roads that are being constructed under the link Zambia 8000 project from unnecessary damage.

Minister of Works, Supply, Transport and Communication Christopher Yaluma said many roads in Zambia and beyond are being damaged by overloaded vehicles.

Mr. Yaluma said the damage on roads has caused adverse economic impact in terms of high maintenance costs.

He was speaking in Chikankata district yesterday when he launched the K11.2 billion Kafue weigh bridge.

Mr. Yaluma noted that government has embarked on vigorously embarked on improving the road network in Zambia in order to trigger economic growth.

He said the new weigh bridge will help decongest operations at the Kapiri Mposhi weigh bridge as trucks coming from the southern corridor will be attended to at the new Kafue weigh bridge.

Mr. Yaluma has since called on road transport business operators to observe acceptable load limits and further urged weigh bridge operators to work diligently and honestly.

And Road Development Agency (RDA) board chairman Willie Nsanda said the new weigh bridge is another milestone in road maintenance.

Mr. Nsanda thanked government for funding various road development projects in the country.

Meanwhile, Chikankata District Commissioner Sylvester Simayaba said the district has experienced various development projects since its creation.

Mr. Simayaba said the new Kafue weigh bridge has added value to the district and stressed that his office will not tolerate corrupt practices at the facility.

The new weigh bridge, whose construction works began in March this year, consists of entrance and exit lanes, queuing lanes, a detention bay and electronic operating system.

ZANIS

Supply of mealie meal in major trading centres of Kitwe and Kalulushi has continued to be erratic with some milling companies restricting the sale of the commodity to one bag per person.

A survey conducted revealed that the commodity was being sold between K50,000 and K80,000 per 25 kg of breakfast because of limited stock.

Shoprite in the Kitwe business centre had run out of the commodity and was expecting delivery of mealie meal by mid day yesterday.

At Nakadoli market in Chimwemwe township, traders were selling limited stocks at exorbitant prices while Mark Corporation director Mark Chisanga said that shortage has forced the price to skyrocket.

A trader at Nakadoli market, Maria Kamboyi said that most millers were allowing a person to buy a single bag and that there was corruption among some traders who were conniving with suppliers to buy in large quantity at the expense of individuals.

Kalulushi district commissioner Joyce Nsama said that shortage of the commodity had persisted with Nkana general dealers selling a bag of mealie meal at K55,000.

Ms Nsama said that Mpongwe milling delivered 400 bags to Nkana general dealers in Kalulushi last week but by yesterday only 20 bags were remaining.

She said that traders on the ‘black market’ were selling the commodity between K75,000 and K80,000.

“I am appealing to other milling companies to supply the district because the prices have gone up and people cannot afford. Mpongwe milling has a breakdown of its machinery at the plant and we hope that they will soon resume full capacity production,” she said.