Southern Province Minister Credo Nanjuwa has expressed concern with the on-going community maize sales and the distribution of relief maize in the province which he has described as not being equitably done.
Mr Nanjuwa said community maize sales and the ZNS mealie meal retail selling has been marred by unscrupulous people who are buying in bulk and reselling in rural communities at exorbitant prices.
He noted that this was defeating the essence of government’s intention to ensure all citizens access affordable mealie meal and maize.
The Minister said during a meeting with representatives from church mother bodies and independent churches that the situation has posed a challenge to responding to the hunger situation in the province.
“Community sales and ZNS mealie meal is not reaching people in rural communities in the province, there are people who are hijacking and sabotaging the process at the expense of the vulnerable, we will not allow this and this is why I am engaging you to help us, ” Mr Nanjuwa said.
He said to help resolve the challenge his office has called the meeting to engage the church leadership to help restore credibility to the process and ensure everyone has access to relief food that government is providing.
The minister said the process is marred with illegality by unscrupulous individuals which his office needs to address with the help of the church leadership.
” The church has been working with the government in different sectors and even this time when the country is hit with a drought, we can work together to address the situation so that no one dies of hunger, that is a directive by the President,” the minister said.
And the church leadership in the province says it is ready to work with President Hakainde Hichilema and Government to address the hunger situation in the province.
Seventh Day Adventist Departmental Director for Mosi o tunya conference Hillary Moonga said the church was already working in communities and has provided solar powered water systems to avert the water crisis.
He said structures are there in communities to help the government with the distribution process.
Times of Refreshing Ministry Bishop Dr Eridge Simukanzye said his church is ready to work with government as his ministry was already helping vulnerable families with mealie-meal.
Provincial Permanent Secretary Namani Monze said the province has 20, 000 metric tons of maize in FRA sheds of which 20 percent has been reserved for community sales and relief food distribution while the 80 per cent will be given to the people under the food for work program.
” The province is targeting 485, 529 households as beneficiaries, 319, 854 households are in rural communities, ” Dr Monze said.
