Africa-Press – Zambia. Farmers across Zambia are gripped by fear and uncertainty as delayed payments from the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) continue to disrupt their livelihoods, despite government assurances that funds are being processed.
Opposition leaders have launched a fierce attack on the UPND government, accusing it of neglecting the very people who secure the nation’s food basket, while prioritizing Constitution Amendment Bill No. 7 instead.
Democratic Union president, Ackim Antony Njobvu, expressed outrage over the situation, saying the government has failed to demonstrate responsibility and empathy.
“This is what happens when you have a government that does not care for its people, except for themselves,” Njobvu said during an interview on KBN TV. “I am made to conclude that they used money meant to pay our farmers to fund their Bill 7.”
Government officials have attributed the delays to banking procedural challenges, but the Bankers Association of Zambia has disputed this explanation, creating further confusion and mistrust.
Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) leader Sean Tembo has also stepped in, demanding clarity from President Hakainde Hichilema on why government reportedly borrowed K5 billion to pay farmers when only K3.7 billion was owed. Tembo further questioned why farmers remain unpaid despite maize having been sold to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi for cash.
Beyond the heated political exchanges lies the harsh human reality. The farming season has begun, yet many farmers remain without the money they desperately need to purchase inputs, prepare fields, and support their families.
“We delivered our maize in good faith,” says a farmer from Eastern Province. “We trusted the system. Now the rains are here, and we have nothing to plant. Our families are depending on money we still haven’t received.”
Many farmers fear their livelihoods are at risk, and with reduced planting, Zambia’s future food security may also be endangered.
Njobvu has challenged Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo Phiri to come clean and give a truthful explanation to the nation.
“We cannot be playing politics at the expense of our farmers who are crucial to food security,” he said. “The government must act now before more damage is done.”
As political debate intensifies, farmers continue to wait not for speeches, but for payment. And with every passing day, their patience, hope, and ability to sustain their families continue to fade.
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