PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has told farmers not to give up on waiting to sell their maize, stressing that FRA is working on modalities to begin buying maize. Meanwhile, President Hichilema has told Kanchibiya residents that government will increase the number of beneficiaries under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP). Last week President Hakainde Hichilema directed […]

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has told farmers not to give up on waiting to sell their maize, stressing that FRA is working on modalities to begin buying maize.

Meanwhile, President Hichilema has told Kanchibiya residents that government will increase the number of beneficiaries under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).

Last week President Hakainde Hichilema directed FRA to announce a good maize floor price.

Meanwhile, on Monday the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) said it is alive to President Hichilema’s call that it should start purchasing maize, but stressed that it will only do so when the moisture content hits 12.5 per cent.

Speaking at a rally in Mpika, Tuesday, President Hichilema said government knew that farmers wanted to sell their maize, but stressed that it must reach the required standard to ensure they are paid within two or three days.

“FRA is working is now working on modalities to make sure that we start buying maize and when we buy maize we pay within two or three days. Mwinenuka (don’t give up) we know you want to sell your maize but we want to make sure that we sell the maize that is dry enough and we pay you within two or three days. And this year we don’t want farmers queuing at the back, we’ll pay through digital payment; once you weigh your maize, immediately you get a digital payment and you can cash the money anytime you want. That’s why we need your vote so we can do that, so are you going to vote for UPND properly? We are saying kwenyu and salt sana but when you go voting, you have look at the UPND candidate; the name, councillor, MP, mayor or council chairperson and president, you must check where the hand is,” President Hichilema said.

“Now listen, the opposition bampesha amano, they are saying they will remove teachers, nurses, they are going to remove the civil servants; now who is going to do the job if they remove civil servants? Are you going to allow them to remove you? Have you agreed? If you don’t want to be removed as a civil servant, go and vote for the UPND and don’t give them any vote. We see them, we know what they did, they were the ones beating us here in Mpika, we know them. Ngwena ni ngwena, pompwe ni pompwe”.

Speaking in Kanchibiya District, the President said government was working to ensure farmers were not subjected to long queues when selling their maize.

“We are working on ensuring that we open farmers, we open the depots [and] this time we don’t want the farmers queuing, we don’t want the farmers at the banks. Once we open, we deliver your maize and two days later you get your money via mobile money, no need to queue at the bank. This year, we are going to increase the number of beneficiaries on FISP, those who receive fertiliser and seed, we’ll increase here in Kanchibiya,” President Hichilema said.

And speaking in Lavushimanda, President Hichilema thanked residents for supporting the UPND in the recent by election.

“I say thank you to you the people of Lavushimanda for giving us a member of parliament in the by-election in the months or a year that passed. Because in 2021, you were cheated by HH, you didn’t vote for us, but you gave us the first elected member of parliament here in Muchinga Province [who] came from here in Mfuwe in Chiundaponde here in Lavushimanda. I believe in 2026, 13th August you are going to give us more MPs because now you know who HH and UPND are, because they used to lie a lot about this gentleman HH. They used to say when you give HH a vote, he will divide the country, all lies but now you have seen it for yourself. Bale tinafye Hakainde (they used to fear Hakainde) so now you know what UPND, HH and Bally are; we work for you, we love you,” said President Hichilema.

“Let us work together because we have demonstrated our love for you by the work we have done, we love you, we work for, we care for you. Because of our love for you, our care for you, we realised that a lot of children were not [in] school because parents had no money to pay and that’s why we introduced free education. If you love me 13th of August 2026 ‘ni salt sana’ so we can continue with free education. Don’t spoil your vote by voting for independents or opposition, Zambia has agreed that UPND and HH will proceed so don’t be left behind”.