Hunger hits Chama South

By NATION REPORTER 

HUNGER is ravaging the people of Chama South in Eastern Province as the relief food  government is distributing is being selectively given to people who are aligned to the governing United Party for National Development (UPND) Davison Mung’andu has disclosed. 

And Mr Mung’andu has charged that the UPND cadres have allegedly hijacked the distribution of Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in his Constituency where people perceived to be supporters of the Patriotic Front (PF) are being denied fertilizer on the basis of their political affiliation.

Mr Mung’andu, the Chama South PF Member of Parliament said that hunger was looming in his Constituency where a number of people were removed from the FISP programme which UPND cadres had allegedly taken over and were deciding who was supposed to get the inputs.

He said that the people that were initially supposed to receive FISP inputs were sidelined and a new list was presented comprising people who were strictly members of the UPND.

Appearing on Millennium Radio programme dubbed the Interview yesterday, Mr Mung’andu said the UPND cadres had completely destroyed the system of distribution fertilizer because they had taken control of the distribution and were sidelining those perceived to belong to the PF.

The Chama South lawmaker said that the selective and partisan distribution of relief food and fertilizer had escalated into chaos resulting into farmers collapsing as they waited to be given the commodity.

Mr Mung’andu said that he had reported the matter to the police because it was criminal that the distribution of fertilizer and relief food should be done on partisan lines.

He claimed that some officers were allegedly selling fertiliser to farmers outside the Chama South Constituency at the expense of local farmers who had been sidelined.

Mr Mung’andu said that one of the people was found with more than 50 bags of fertiliser which was acquired dubiously.

“This scenario is not just in my Constituency and I am sure others are experiencing the same because the system has been destroyed. The UPND cadres have taken over the distribution of both relief food and fertilizer. They are only giving relief food to members of the UPND and those perceived to be sympthysers of the PF are being denied relief food or fertilizer. I have since reported the matter to the police and it is my hope they will act swiftly,” Mr Mung’andu said. 

He said generally Zambians were suffering and that it would even be worse in places like Lusaka and other towns where the cost of living has always been projected to be high.

Mr Mung’andu said that President Hichilema promised Zambians a lot of things which he was failing to deliver and that the cost of mealie meal, the staple food had been increasing perennially.