Vice President Guy Scott has assured farmers in the country that Government would finish paying them their dues through the Food Reserve Agency by 31st October this year.
Speaking during the Kulamba Kubwalo traditional Ceremony of the Lenje speaking people held in Chibombo yesterday, Dr Scott said if there would be cases of some farmers not paid their dues by the specified date, his office should be informed so that he could direct FRA to do as stated.
He also informed farmers that all the farming inputs for the 2011/2012 farming season were in place and that Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives would ensure that the inputs were distributed by November this year.
The Vice President said contrary to what the former ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) indicated in their quest to de-campaign the Patriotic Front (PF) that it would terminate free distribution of farming inputs once it came to power, Government would continue with the Fertiliser Support Programme and that this time Soya Beans has been included in the package to allow farmers to widen their horizons.
Dr. Scott said it was Government’s intention to see a better Zambia with economic values and that it wanted proper farming methods for farming and hoped that the inclusion of Soya Beans on the FSP programme would enhance crop diversification and subsequently boost the country’s economy.
He thanked the people of Chibombo for their support during the elections and said the main reason he was attending the ceremony was not because he was Vice President but because he grew up in Lenje land and just wanted to know how his tribesmen were doing after the elections.
Dr. Scott, was accompanied to the ceremony by Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Deputy Minister Mary Kawandami.
Later, speaking when he met PF party officials at Chibombo District Council Chamber, Dr. Scott said the victory experienced by the ruling party was not a mere victory but the hand of God.
He said the PF faced a lot of intimidation and character assassination by the ruling MMD and that it was never possible for the PF to emerge victorious without the glorious hand of God which he said he would forever be grateful to.
The Vice President said PF was happy to have won three Parliamentary seats out of the 14 seats in Central Province especially that Central Province was an MMD stronghold.
He said PF would have actually done much better in many constituencies and even scooped the Muchinga Constituency seat had it not been for the fact that former Vice President George Kunda had spent a lot of state resources to win the elections.
However, Dr Scott said his Government was happy with the people of Central Province and would ensure that they delivered on their campaign promises.
Also in attendance at the ceremony was Central Province Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama, Opposition MMD Provincial Chairlady Grace Mulando, Kembe MMD Member of Parliament Ronnie Shikapwasha, Former Member of Parliament for Kapiri Friday Malwa, among others.
ZANIS
That’s in ten days ba VP. Please look after these farmers. They are the feeders of the nation. It would be commendable to achieve this goal in the time frame. But we also need the harvested crop to be secured from damage by the rain and other elements. Why is the agric minister quiet anyway? Give him the boot if the VP can run agriculture too.Â
That’s the way to go.
I thought PF also decampaigned MMD saying they had nothing good to offer but so far it seems Guy Scott is saying Fertiliser Input Support Programme which is an MMD policy is very good! and also the Foreign Direct Investment Policy is good, worse stile that the Public Private Partnership Initiative is also good…these are all MMD policies!
“Chanda Chimba the Thirsty” you may need to read and watch the PF campaigns which made it very clear that they supported FISP to farmers and criticised MMD under President Banda for have reduced the support package. It appears you did not understand PF campaigns on all the issues you think they have now changed their mind on. Be factual in your contributions sir!
Working government, my grandma she is still waiting for her pay cheque from FRA for almost 6 months now. please pay them so that they can cultivate again.
Good afternoon
Good work Mr. VP. No long speeches, no empty promises, just delivering the goods accordingly.
Being a successful farmer himself, I’m sure Dr. Scott understands the importance of investing in peasant farmers to boost our country’s yields and intensify it’s food production. It is simply the best response to the constant rise in food prices worldwide. Zambia do not need to get maize donations from Libya (a desert!) as was the case a few years ago (under MMD).
Number three.YOU ARE VERY SMART. Smart governments do not eradicate good one.only bad policies will be removed but those benefiting Zambians will be used.
We do not need to bring everything new.some things could exist but done in a very effective way.THat is what good governance means
Bwana mu punzile ku vala..jacket shuwa over size kukula kwati niyo poka ku malilo.Po chita ku posha iposhewa kumozi mu kwanja mwa bene..Otherwise mwa gwila nchito anso
More money in your pockets!
At least it’s beginning to look like farmers can plan/predict with certainty that money will be there to re-plough in farming. Previously they had to worry about unpredictable weather patterns and even more unreliable cash flow. Â
Who left the money ? The coffers are not dry but still condemn Mmd ! We need to give praise where its due.I am not Mmd,or Pf or Upnd but i think Mmd did a descent job where macro and micro economics is concerned.Its precisely why Pf can pay farmers,carry on gov. Work and do many more projects.In short,the foundation is there.Corruption must be fought and erradicated.Its a nuisance to society and costs us trillions of kwacha.Let the pf continue the good work and erradicate the bad things.GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.
Iwe number 3, even Gaddafi had excellent policies but he also stole big time and overstayed. Same as MMD, to hell with them. May the party die and rot like UNIP.
Anyone with Guy Scott’s address I want to send him 2 well-fitted suits I mean it. He’s a good guy.
Mwa kamba choncho mwami
That’s corruption. He won’t accept! yeah right – he’ll be happy!!!!!!!:))
Reflect back. The MMD stole the Fertiliser Input Support Programme and other agricultural policies from Mazoka’s UPND.
I am not bothered by the dressing but what comes out of someones mount/head is what matters to me. I have interacted with proffessors and several millions professional graduates, to them, dressing is not a priority. Well if it matters to you so be it, rather remain mute than condemn Dr Scott. As for the urgency in paying Farmers am totally agreable, let the farmers be paid promptly rather than the former FRA which delayed even though funds were availble. What that means is that they were either commercialising the funds before paying farmers to gain interests. (i.e. Putting in fixed deposits with money brokers). That is corruptive deals which must be investigated.
#13:General: Thats a Zambian way of assessing something. They start with dressing; then the car. Very useless. I tell you if you want to move with millions in cash, just dress like a site worker, in dirty jeans, boots and dirty jacket. There in out your money and no one will even look at you. It happened to me when I was refused a chair at Kitwe post office because i looked dirty in their eyes. But when time came for me to cash the forex; they realised they had mistreated a professional, loaded with money meant for work. I could see the facial reaction!! I said to them, I had better chairs at home that the ones they had in their crap office. So you are right mate. Deeds not words; Deeds not looks!!
Wrong. Dressing is equally important. Yes we all know that what comes out of someone’s mouth matters, but don’t tell me that dressing which is part of the non-verbal communication representing 90% means nothing? Getting the message across to people is not always effective by way of speaking, perhaps you need to widen your scope try reading this book ‘What Every Body is Saying’ by Joe Navarro an ex-FBI agent. I am not condemning Scott! I am simply stating the truth his image needs a touch up that’s people have image builders hello!!
How much is the veep paying himself this time for his ‘destroyed’ soya beans?
ZP I think you need to institute a citizens of is it state police as in ZP arrest for wrong dressing;hilarious.I think people were too busy with their campaigns to bother about their wardrobes;they simply went and checked for siuts they wore 20 yrs ago!!!!Ni mabvuto pela
Good move. But please ensure that the right people are paid. Therefore an audit is needed to fish out ghost farmers and all these fraudsters be brought to book and punished. I mean the FRA employees who duplicate payments over the same maize
#10 There was no money to pay farmers by FRA and it was not a priority for MMD to pay farmers. Did you read how PF is borrowing and resoursing? Do’nt forget so fast. Bravo PF. Economics can be understood if translated into peoples’ lives.
pf is realy working.
=))
Adimssion of failure to pay farmers up to this day when all crops have been collected is disgraceful to say the least. Two months ago had to send school fees when my relatives had sold maize a month before. Guy Scott started with this ministry when served under Chiluba. He didn’t do a good job and was removed. Today he’s telling farmers similar stories. MMD left money in reserves why not pay poor farmers promptly and gain credit for it. Press statements wont do, that never worked with MMD. Take hid you ‘ve less than 5yrs to go and will face voter farmers again. Already PF govt has no plan for agriculture except copy paste MMD programs. PF govt need to be serious with governance of Zambia.
EXCELLENT WORK PF. MMD were always late in paying….
Its a sad situation for farmers.I have not  been paid but most people who took there maize after me have been paid. The ass holes at FRA in Kabwe want money from you before they can pay you.
@ This is Me: Mwami we shall with “Immediate Effect” Instruct ba silikali ku headquarters to offer the VP seized suites from the Bailifs choncho choncho.Vioneka ngati ba bwana aba wodrobe yabo niya bondwe bondwe chabe.
#13 YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY SAID RATHER PRE-EMPTIED WHAT I ALSO MEANT TO WRITE. MOST ZAMBIANS ARE STILL SIMPLE-MINDS. OF ALL THE IMPORTANT THINGS WHY LOOK AT SOMEONE’S DRESSING OR FACE INSTEAD OF THE IMPORTANT JOB HE/SHE IS DOING? ZAMBIANS, PLEASE GROW UP. PF IS NOT HERE FOR CAT-WALK. PF IS HERE FOR SOME SERIOUS CLEANSING OF ZAMBIA AND SEEING THAT MORE MONEY HAS STARTS TO GO INTO CITIZENS’ POCKETS.
DON’T CHEAT US WITH EMPTY PROMISES!!!
THE ONLY DECISION TO BE MADE AT END OF 90DAYS IS OCCUPY HIGH COURT, OCCUPY PARLIAMENT OR OCCUPY STATE HOUSE ???
MIND YOU WE NOW KNOW RENT A CROWD!!
You tell him!! Go on tell him his a liar!!! I’ll come with you and tell him!
ZP you’ve made me laugh; O it is good to unwind and mind you no. 24 I am no simple mind. I just have a sense of humour. Don’t take life TOO SERIOUSLY FIND TIME TO LAUGH, it dosen’t hurt. If you have noticed all the bloggers are serious, what is wrong with one humourous blog? Bring it on ZP!!!!!
yes pay them with interest, farmers need to
start charging interest so they get their monies
fasterÂ
#5 Nine Chale, are you sober today?
I also heard the Veep claim that the bumper harvest from past two seasons was not covered by the MMD govt. ???? I thought that every Zambian knows that the country experiences rainfall every season, how did that maize survive to this day? Now PF, we support the government of the day and the fight against corruption but that does not mean that mmd never did good things. They left us state coffers full of money, a growing economy, single digit inflation, and above all granaries overflowing with the staple food.PF’s task is to redistribute wealth to reach more Zambians and build the economy from where your predecessors left. God gives more to those who appreciate the little that they have (or have inherited).
And embarrasses those who do not appreciate but try to discredit what others have achieved.
It is very interesting and encouraging that each time PF talk about progress, they give a time flame. Keep it up PF, this clearly shows you do plan your work.
Like the 90 day change of  promises :-?
Liar
# 3 ,ULI SHILU