Maravi

Farmers besiege Kawimbe’s office demanding payments from FRA

Farmers besiege Kawimbe’s office demanding payments from FRA
Written by Mutuna Chanda
Thursday, September 10, 2009 3:57:13 AM

OVER 30 farmers on Monday besieged the premises of the office of Luapula Province minister Dr Boniface Kawimbe demanding payment for the maize that they sold to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in July.

The farmers, who were part of a bigger group of between 150 and 200 farmers who were addressed by Dr Kawimbe on Monday last week, said they wanted to get feedback on when they would be paid.

FRA owes about K9 billion to farmers in the province for the maize that was sold to the agency.

The farmers however complained that when they approached Dr Kawimbe, he threatened them with police detention.

One of the farmers, Japhet Kabengele who delivered 20 bags to FRA and is owed K1.3 million, complained that the government kept on telling him and his colleagues to check week after week.

Another farmer, Goodson Kaona admitted that they [farmers] made noise at the premises and that Dr Kawimbe warned that they would be detained for their actions.

He however said that Dr Kawimbe was supposed to explain to the farmers but he told them that they should listen to Radio Yangeni where he would make an announcement regarding payment to farmers who were owed by FRA.

The incident happened as MMD cadres held a procession around Mansa town on Monday to celebrate the acquittal of former president Frederick Chiluba.

Another farmer Elias Nkandu said that MMD cadres threatened to beat up the farmers.

And when contacted, Dr Kawimbe said K4.6 billion for Luapula Province would be released this week to pay the farmers, half of what they were owed.

He said that the farmers would get the money by Monday next week and that the remainder would be released before the end of the month.

He also charged that the farmers were being unreasonable.

Dr Kawimbe said when he addressed the bigger group of farmers, he asked them to form a committee of representatives for information to flow through them but that they rejected the idea and instead opted to hear it on Radio Yangeni in Mansa.

He explained that he told the farmers that he needed to get information from the Ministry of Agriculture on when they would be paid and that he could not give them the exact date on when their money would be released.

Dr Kawimbe said he was surprised to see a smaller group of farmers go to his office demanding to be addressed over payments.

He said he told the group that he would make the announcement that very day at 14:00 hours but that they became rowdy.

Dr Kawimbe said he told them that if they became unruly, police would detain them and that, that could happen to anyone including him if he decided to break the law.

He added that some of the farmers were supporters of the opposition Patriotic Front whose intention was to disrupt the march that MMD cadres held to celebrate Chiluba's acquittal.

Labels: BONIFACE KAWIMBE, FARMERS, FRA, JAPHET KABENGELE, LUAPULA PROVINCE, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

posted by MrK @ 2:45 AM