Maravi

Chipata residents threaten to slash Rupiah’s maize

Chipata residents threaten to slash Rupiah’s maize
Written by Christopher Miti in Chipata
Friday, January 09, 2009 5:16:46 AM

POLICE officers were last Wednesday deployed at President Rupiah Banda's
farm in Chipata to guard against irate residents who were planning to slash maize at the farm after the council slashed their maize on the hilltops.

And Chipata Municipal Council has suspended the slashing of maize from hilltops. Eastern Province police commanding officer Mary Chikwanda confirmed that police were briefly deployed at the President's farm.

"We had sent officers to the President's farm when we heard that some people were planning to go there but we withdraw the officers when we discovered that it was quiet," Chikwanda said.

During a check at the President's farm at 16:31 hours on Wednesday, armed police officers were found manning the place.

Chikwanda said police had the names of the people who caused confusion in Nabvutika compound when the local authority effected its controversial exercise of slashing maize from hilltops.

"We have the names of the culprits; we are going to arrest them, they are known people," said Chikwanda.

Angry residents on Wednesday stoned the house of the Chipata Mayor Sinoya Mwale, Chipata Central Constituency member of parliament Lameck Mangani's hammer mill building and a tavern belonging to Chipata Central Constituency publicity chairperson Dauzen Mwanza.

Other residents besieged Chipata district commissioner's office with the maize stalks to complain over the council's move.

And Mwale said the council had suspended the maize slashing exercise so that they could dialogue with the affected people.

The council effected the exercise following concerns of environmental degradation caused by running water from the hills.

Asked to confirm reports that the exercise had been suspended because of the directive from MMD, Mwale said the exercise had been suspended to leave room for dialogue.

Earlier, MMD vice provincial secretary, Charles Bensai and Chipata district secretary Samuel Lugomo Phiri directed the council to stop slashing maize from hilltops because the timing was wrong.

Over four people have drowned in Chipata after heavy downpours.

Labels: MAIZE, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 5:14 AM