How much has been paid for 650, 000MT of imported maize? – Mundubile asks

By NATION REPORTER

THE government has been challenged to disclose how much has been paid towards to the importation of maize from Tanzania, following President Hakainde Hichilema declaring the drought as a national disaster to which cooperating partners have made donations to curb hunger crisis in the country.
Brian Mundubile is calling on Rueben Mtolo Phiri, the Minister of Agriculture to disclose to the nation how much has so far been paid towards the 650, 000 metric tonnes of maize being imported from Tanzania.
Mr Mundubile, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament said information about the procurement of maize from Tanzania was to the effect that government had made a payment towards 200, 000 metric tonnes of the maize being imported and yet only 14, 000 metric tonnes had so far been delivered.
He said out of the 650, 000 metric tonnes, which was expected to be shipped into Zambia, only 200, 000 metric tonnes had been paid foe and only about 14, 000 tonnes had since been delivered into the country and demanded that Mr Mtolo should give an update on the transaction.
“We know that Zambia was scheduled to receive 650, 000 metric tonnes and payment was made towards 200, 000 metric tonnes. However, the information we have is that only 14, 000 has so far been delivered. The importation of the 650, 000 tonnes of maize has been a troubled transaction from the beginning with conflicting statements coming from the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Information and Media. We were first entertained to a statement that a mining house was going to transport the maize for free and later the nation was informed that in fact there would be a cost to it,” Mr Mundubile said. Mr Mundubile stated that as the opposition, they got concerned and wondered why a mining house was getting involved into the transaction.
He said the opposition had also raised concerns of the safety of the maize that was going to be couriered by tracks, some of which were transporting acids.
“Our contention is that when President Hichilema declared the drought a national disaster, there were monetary contributions from various stakeholders and cooperating partners. As the opposition, we have to ensure the money the UPND government received from donors was fully accounted for. So when we are being told that in fact only a small percentage of what was expected has arrived, we ask why,” Mr Mundubile said.
Mr Mundubile, who is Patriotic Front (PF) Mporokoso Member of Parliament said the opposition was aware that some Food Reserve Agency (FRA) officials traveled to Tanzania to buy the maize for the country as if they were briefcase businessmen.
“We want to know how much maize how much maize we are expecting by the end of the year and when the balance would be delivered. Zambians want to know and the people who made all the donations need to know how much has been paid for and how much is remaining to bring all the maize into the country,” he said.