By Isaac Zulu
UPND Central Province deputy information and publicity secretary Emmerson Pukuma has attributed the delayed delivery of farming inputs to farmers under the Farmer Input Support Programme to the cancellation of procurement contracts for suppliers that were allegedly alignment to the Patriot Front.
Pukuma has charged that contractors that were awarded contracts to supply fertiliser and other farming inputs were engaged by the Patriot Front to execute the said mandate so that, in return, they should fund the PF.
“The delay in fertilizer distribution was caused by the change of suppliers most of whom were single sourced. All those suppliers were connected to the big wings either in top PF party officials or government, at that time, and were strategically given these contracts in order for them to fund PF during campaigns,” Pukuma explained in an interview.
He acknowledged that the delayed delivery of farming inputs to small scale farmers has caused anxiety and panic among the farming community.
“Yes the delay has brought about panic to the farmers but the change of suppliers was very necessary. You saw a lot of money being given out to would be voters in the run up to elections in both 2016 and 2021. These were the funders. As a party in government, we needed to make a stop to all these corrupt deals,” said Pukuma.
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