UPND defends South Chiefs over FISP

Sat, 31 Dec 2016 12:16:09 +0000

By ANDREA MUKOMA

 CHIEFS in Southern Province have the right to advise their subjects on the right time to plant and have a good reason to discourage them from receiving the farm inputs if they believed that the planting season was coming to an end, the UPND has said.

UPND in Southern Province has said there was nothing wrong with the traditional leaders to stop their subjects from collecting fertilizer and seed under the government’s FISP programme if the inputs were late.

But former Patriotic Front (PF) Dr. Mubitana Ward aspiring candidate in the August 11, 2016 general election Chitoshi Mulenga said those discouraging farmers from accessing FISP must be punished.

In an interview with the Daily Nation in Livingstone, UPND’s Neto Halwabala said it was unfortunate that PF deputy spokesperson Frank Bwalya attacked the chiefs in the media without verifying his facts.

Mr. Halwabala said that the chiefs as leaders have the right to advise their subjects on what is correct and wrong in order for them to make informed decisions about their livelihood.

“Frank Bwalya and PF have exposed their ignorance on agriculture. They do not know that agriculture is business and not charity in this modern era. His threats on the alleged chiefs is unfortunate because farming is like a flight, you miss it then it’s gone.

“FISP is not for free but these farmers are paying for it, so PF should realise that it is not mandatory to receive these inputs. Farmers who are refusing to accept FISP have the right to do so because it is their right especially that it has delayed and that has nothing to do with chiefs,” he said.

Mr. Halwabala, who is the provincial publicity and informational secretary, said the ruling party’s statement issued through a media briefing held by Mr. Bwalya was a recipe of confusion and must not be allowed.

“Why should someone get inputs in January when the planting season is in November and December? His statement is unfortunate. We advise him to avoid commenting on issues he does not understand but concentrate sorting out the problems that have engulfed his party,” he said.

But former Patriotic Front (PF) Dr. Mubitana Ward aspiring candidate in the August 11, 2016 general election Chitoshi Mulenga said those discouraging farmers from accessing FISP must be punished.

“Those chiefs who are discouraging farmers from getting FISP in Southern Province must be punished. They should not turn their palaces into political arenas. FISP means well to the farmers and they just continue accessing it,” he said.

He said that chiefs were receiving huge salaries from Government and that they should not make their subjects poorer by discouraging them to access FISP.

“Chiefs should be in fore front encouraging their subjects to access FISP and not what is happening in this province. No subject will respect them if there is poverty in the chiefdom. We are tired of these chiefs in Southern Province….why are they like this?” he wondered.