Was it logical for UPND govt to export maize and reimport, asks Kampyongo
By Rhoda Nthara
WAS it logical for government to export large quantities of maize and reimport the same maize, asks Shiwang’andu PF member of parliament Stephen Kampyongo.
In a follow-up question on acting commerce minister Elias Mubanga, Kampyongo noted that the UPND would be importing 650,000 metric tonnes of maize this year.
“Mr Speaker I was saying between the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Trade, Commerce and Industry, the people of Zambia have had many assurances through this august House and also that those assurances culminated into the Leader of Government Business in the House [Vice-President Mutale Nalumango] equally making further assurances because we were usually told that we were food secure and therefore there was no need for us as honourable members of parliament, people’s representatives, to be worried when we questioned aspects of government exporting the maize stocks. More than one million metric tonns and I did state that all the matters are on record. That the Leader of Government Business, honourable minister in your heart of hearts what would you say now that you’ve said you are going to import 650,000 metric tonnes of maize?” asked Kampyongo. “Would you say there was logic and the people of Zambia should be able to still trust you even when you assured them that they were food secure, that there was no need for them to be worried? For you to first of all export maize and now you want to import in the similar way, increasing prices in order to reduce, so whether it was export in order to import? Was it logical for your government to export those large quantities of maize and now you are stressing the Ministry of Finance to find forex through the supplementary budget to reimport the same maize that was exported by yourselves?”
In response Mubanga said when a country is going through a drought it means there will be no production of “our staple food which is maize”.
“Right now if there was no drought Mr [Second deputy] Speaker [Moses Moyo], we could have not gone to import 660,000 metric tonnes of maize. Now because of what we are undergoing Mr Speaker, this is why we’ve gone to import,” said Mubanga. “But furthermore I am saying even in the midst of these challenges we have government is not sitting down. We do have winter maize coming on line. Early maize coming on line. Soon we will pass what we are talking about.”
Was it logical for the PF party in government then not to pay the farmers for their crops. How were they supposed to get the next seasons inputs?
Introspection is important and listening. The Opposition seem to hear but dont listen. The President was very clear on the matter and explain what was the rationale in the surplus of maize.
Secondly, Mr Kamponyongo acts like an ostrich with his head in the sand. He forgets that his party left FRA bankrupt, with unpaid debt to farmers. This habit of senselessly critical on issues that they know they were derelict to shows exactly why they are not in office.
We need leaders that we can hold accountable and show that they listen. When citizens were being clobbered by PF cadres with rights violeted Kamponyongo was quiet. When Jay was abusing the Police he was equally quiet. Now he wants to be critical? Lets not be empty vessels that fail to be reasonable. PF created the debt and its pressures. Farmers are humans are needed to paid for their crops. Its myopic to be passing irrational statements that lack substance.
Don’t lie my boss.you did not pay for that maize and we are aware, don’t take advantage because a lot of majority Zambian are reluctant to read.you got the maize on credit you did not leave any plans on how to pay us farmers.Please go and ask your colleagues that question.
Hon Kampyongo, you should just keep quiet because you did worse things than HH and his ND government. If I can ask you the same question: was it logical to buy price inflated fire tenders at 1 million each and fail to pay the farmers who had produced the surplus maize you are boasting of? It was sad that you got the maize but you left the farmers unpaid. Your friend came and struggled to raise some money through maize exports and managed to pay the farmers whilst you ba PF failed to pay them. In my opinion, the one who sells the maize and pays the farmers is a better leader than the one who inflates the price of fire tenders, then fails to pay the farmers and pockets the money. You can see the difference for yourself, one is raising money to pay the people and the other one is raising the money to fill his pocket or to steal, is there any logic in stealing or selfishness? Whom did you ever pay ba PF, you left the retirees, farmers languishing, you withdrew University students meal allowances, you failed to implement free education, you were not paying for fuel imports, you defaulted on Euro bond, were all those things logical to you? If they were, then you need to think again, PF remains the worst government in the history of this country and no honest Zambian would want to see it again.