Opposition Green Party leader urges govt to be transparent in its dealings

Green Party president, Peter Sinkamba, says the United Party for National Development (UPND) government should learn to be transparent and explain schemes in very simple, concise and consultative manner.

Sinkamba’s advise follows the decision by the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya to temporarily stop the government’s plan to contract Zambian large scale farmers to grow maize for exclusive exportation to Kenya.

Judge Mugure Thande temporarily barred the Ministry of Agriculture from implementing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) requiring Zambia to produce maize for Kenya.

The judge issued the order following a request by the Farmers Party of Kenya, which wants the deal quashed.

Sinkamba however is of the view that with slight refinement, the Kenya maize scheme is very good for the Zambian farmers, especially small-scale farmers that lack substantial and sustainable funding.

He is hopeful that as the courts in Kenya resolve their challenges, government will do the needful to to refine the scheme and properly explain it so that there is a buy-in by all.

“The scheme was not properly explained by the Zambian Government leading to its rejection by opposition parties and several other stakeholders,” Sinkamba said.

He said the only clear-cut statement was from Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane who said Zambia will not be exporting maize to Kenya this season because it has a deficit in the grain.

Sinkamba said as the Green Party, it supported the scheme after it consulted the Kenya to provide more details since the Zambia government’s version was opaque.

“Our forefathers under the leadership of Dr. Kaunda were not foolish when they coined the “Tiyende Pamodzi” mantra,” Sinkamba said.

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