The Small Scale Farmers Association has welcomed the floor price of maize which the government has announced for 2021 crop marketing season.

Government has pegged the cost of a 50 kilogramme (kg) bag of maize at K150.

Small Scale Farmers Association Director Noel Simukonda told ZANIS today that the price is good for the farmers who got subsidised farming inputs from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).

Mr. Simukonda said the 2021 floor price will improve the income levels of about one million small scale farmers who accessed fertilizers and inputs through FISP

‘‘K150 is quite a good price and they will get some kind of profit,” he said.

He however observed that small scale farmers who bought unsubsidized inputs might not get the best profit out of the K150 floor price.

He has since urged farmers who benefitted from FISP to be patriotic enough and sell their farm produce such as maize, soya beans and rice to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) since they got the inputs at a relatively lower price.

The FRA has announced that it will purchase a 50 kg bag of white maize at K150 in the 2021/2022 crop marketing season.

FRA Board Chairperson Kelvin Hambwezya said in Lusaka that the agency will also purchase a 50 kg bag of soya beans at K500 and 40kg of paddy rice at K200.

Mr. Hambwezya disclosed that the purchasing price of white maize has increased by 40 per cent from the previous crop marketing season and farmers will be paid as soon as they deliver the commodity to FRA.

He noted that that the agency’s prices will not disadvantage the private sector who are expected to purchase the larger share of the 3.6 million metric tonnes of maize.

During the 2019/2020 marketing season, the price of maize was at K110 per 50 kg bag.

The Patriotic Front (PF) has called for the dismissal of the protesting Resident Doctors.

Party Media Director Antonio Mwanza has charged that the doctors have no justification to down tools as government has already paid what is due to them.

He says the PF government has continued to prioritize the health sector and will therefore not entertain the illegal strike from residents doctors.

And Mr. Mwanza has also disclosed that the PF has impeccable information that some Doctors are working with known opposition political parties to sabotage the government.

“We are extremely dismayed by the unprofessional and unethical conduct by the resident Doctors who have decided to go on strike even when government has met their demands,” he said.

The PF Media Director further added that it is shocking and unethical that the doctors have decided to go on a go slow and allow patients to die at their watch even when government has already cleared their arrears.

“When government paid them all the money they have now changed the narrative and now talking that government must pay other doctors and that government must
Change the condition of service for doctors,” Mr. Mwanza added.

Mr. Mwanza explained that the Resident Doctor’s Association of Zambia is not registered as a union to bargain for worker’s condition of service.

He charged that the PF will not allow unappreciative doctors who after being trained by tax payers money can down tools and allow patients to die on their watch.

Mr. Mwanza said it is the duty of doctors to protect lives and must not for any reason run away from their oath.

He has since appealed to government to take disciplinary action and dismiss all the Resident doctors who have gone on strike.

The PF Media Director charged that the country has a lot of doctors who not yet employed and are willing and ready to work for the people of Zambia.

President Edgar Lungu is expected in Luapula province today for a four-day working visit.

Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Charles Mushota said during the visit, the Head of State is set to commission a fuel depot, two mini hospitals, inspect water projects and witness the official harvest of the Greenfield maize irrigation crop, among other developmental projects.

According to the programme, President Lungu is expected to visit Mansa, Kawambwa, Samfya, Lunga, Chembe, Milenge and Chifunabuli districts.

Zambia Correctional Service Commissioner General Chisela Chileshe has clarified that the piece of legislature which allows inmates serving life sentences to go on a two-week vacation to visit their families has been in existence for over five decades.

Dr. Chileshe, who was the guest on Diamond TV programme dubbed ‘COSTA’ explained that the licensing of inmates is not a new law as it has been in existence since 1965.

He disclosed that no inmate has however been released under the licence since 1965.

“It is not a new law and nothing has changed, no inmate has been released under the license,” he said.

Dr. Chileshe revealed that the licensing of an inmate imprisoned for life has been enshrined for decades in the Prisons Act section 116.

He however clarified that not every prisoner qualifies for the 14 days vacation licence.

Dr. Chileshe has meanwhile refuted claims that the law of licensing is being amplified because of the forthcoming general elections.

The Commissioner General insisted that the piece of legislation has nothing to do with the election as it has been in existence since 1965.

“The licence for somebody imprisoned for life has been enshrined for five (5) decades in the Prisons Act section 116, it’s not just given to anyone but as prescribed by the statute. The license is not about elections it has been there since 1965,” he said.

He added that, “as far as we are concerned, the piece of legislature has never been used. The law has been in existence and it has just been carried over,” he said.

The news of releasing inmates on a two weeks vacation raised uproar among members of the public amidst concern of security.

Kalomo District Electoral 0fficer, Oswell Mpofu has advised voter education facilitators in the area to diligently apply themselves to ensure that eligible voters in this year’s general elections turn out in numbers to cast their vote.

Mr. Mpofu says this year’s election was crucial as many political players has come on board and urged stakeholders in the electoral process to carry out their duties diligently in order to gain public confidence.

“This year’s election is crucial, therefore some of you, as voter education facilitators must apply yourselves to the task on issues pertaining to elections in an effort to reduce voter apathy and the number of rejected ballot papers in the forthcoming elections,” Mpofu said.

The District Electoral 0fficer was speaking at the official opening of a five day voter education facilitators’ training workshop in Kalomo over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Kalomo district voter education committee chairperson, Elizabeth Kawaza has prodded voter education facilitators to abide by the electoral code of conduct.

Mrs. Kawaza says all facilitators should be non-partisan, objective and transparent in their conduct under their 60 days Electoral Commission of Zambia bondage when conducting voter education to the electorate in the 20 wards of Kalomo central and Dundumwezi constituencies in the district.

The Electoral Commission of Zambia ( ECZ ) has instructed to allocate two voter education facilitators in each ward country-wide to sensitize people on electoral issues.

Zambia has over Seven million eligible voters to participate in the August, 12, general elections.

Vice President Inonge Wina has commended political parties who have settled for female running mates ahead of this year’s August 12 elections saying it is a momentous step towards the attainment of gender equality in the country.

The Vice President noted that for the first time, Zambia has this year recorded the highest number of women positioned for the second highest position in the governance of the country.

“It is for the first time that we have had more positioned for the Vice Presidency, and this is commended,” she explained.

Mrs Wina was speaking during a meeting with traditional leaders in Chipata, where she also presented Professor Nkandu Luo as President Edgar Lungu’s running mate.

Mrs Wina said although the country still has a long way to go before it attains gender equality, the step taken by most political parties is a step in the right direction.

“We might still have a hundred more years to go before we are where we are supposed to be as a country, but we are headed there”, she noted.

Other than the PF fielding Professor Nkandu Luo as President Edgar Lungu as running mate, the United National Development Party is likewise fielding Mutale Nalumango as its running mate to its candidate Hakainde Hichilema, a fit that has elated a number of women movements and political players.

And Vice President Wina has expressed concern over the high numbers of candidates who have opted to contest as independent candidates after being ‘ ditched ‘ ahead of the August 12th elections.

She said is saddened with the development where Eastern province is leading with over 40 candidates deciding to go independent as a result.

“Eastern province is topping with about 43 candidates resigning from their respective parties to contest as independent members. This has been quite an issue and we are trying to ascertain why”, she questioned.

Meanwhile, the Ngoni Royal Establishment called on political players to avoid politics of insults, but to instead safeguard the peace of the country.

The Establishment’s representative Chief Madzimawe said peace is synonymous to development meaning there is no guaranteed of development in the absence of peace.

“You can only talk of development when there is peace because peace comes first. As such, we expect all political players to always be conscious of this fact and ensure they conduct themselves in a peaceful manner”, he said.

He further called on politicians to take heed of the covid-19 situation as they carry out campaigns ahead of the elections.

And Chief Mbangombe who represented the Chewa Royal Establishment commended government for embarking on various development projects.

Stating that people can attest to the development that has been recorded in the country, Chief Mangombe further commended President Edgar Lungu and the Patriotic Front (PF) party for the choice of a woman as the PF.