THE Elections Conflict Management Committee Chairperson Beatrice Phiri has advised political parties to stop using schools as camping grounds for their campaign teams.
Sister Phiri says political parties and independent candidates should not use public places such as schools as camping sites as the facilities are supposed to be used by other political players in this year’s elections.
ZANIS reports that Sister Phiri made the directive during a meeting of the Conflict Management Committee held at Chipangali Civic Centre.
This was in response to the complaint lodged by Chipangali constituency independent candidate Chibesa Phiri that a named political party had camped in most schools in the constituency, making it difficult for him to use the learning institutions during campaigns.
The Elections Conflict Management Committee Chairperson advised that political parties and independent candidates need to have one major base as a camping site as opposed to using schools because the institutions are public places which must be used by all.
“All those campaigning in Chipangali constituency should refrain from using schools as camping bases because those are public institutions which must be availed to all.- ZANIS
FRA directed to increase daily purchases
Mwinilunga Acting district commissioner Kelvin Ndandand has directed the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in Mwinilunga district to increase the purchase of the grain in the district.
Mr Ndandanda says the daily purchase by the 200 bags satellite depots in the area is too low and hence directed it to purchase a minimum of 300 bags daily.
He explains that this is to ensure that more maize is bought and to reduce on the time farmers spend at the depots.
ZANIS reports that the Acting district commissioner issued the directive after conducting a check on some depots yesterdays.
“We don’t want our farmers to stay long here,” he said.
Further, Mr Ndandanda advised the FRA to strike a balance in buying the maize to accommodate farmers with extra maize.
And a farmer in the area, Jackson Sakapalu thanked government for this year’s maize purchase price but requested that more satellite depots are established to reduce on the transportation cost.
The agency has a target of buying 112,000 by 50 Kilogram bags of white maize across 26 satellite depots in the district.
Meanwhile Mr Ndandanda has praised government for the prompt payments to farmers who have supplied maize to the agency and for the over 300 temporal jobs created by the exercise.
Mr Ndandanda says K895,000 out of the initial K1.9 million deposit by government has since been paid out to the farmers.
“We are paying farmers on time and this exercise has equally created jobs for the youths,” Mr Ndandanda said.
He has further applauded farmers in the area for choosing to sale their crop to FRA as opposed to briefcase buyers saying it is good for national food security.
– ZANIS
