UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema says Zambia’s agricultural sector had collapsed.
Speaking to journalists after a case in which he is charged with seditious practices was adjourned to March 22 today, Hichilema said it was unfortunate that agriculture minister Dora Siliya had opted to go on holiday at a very critical time.
“There no enough fertilizer, there’s no enough seed, the ministry of agriculture has collapsed, the minister was on holiday when there was armyworms, when there was no fertilizer she went on holiday and we understand she was enjoying herself out there when the farmers were suffering,” Hichilema said.
“We wish to inform the nation that we will from now on and going forward take a bold step in focusing on developing our country in any possible way we can. Our agenda is for a better and safer Zambia, not divisions and delaying development by fighting those with better economic management skills.”
And UPND vice president adminstration Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba, who is jointly charged with Hichilema for ‘unlawful assembly’, wondered how this seasons harvest would turn out.
“If you look at the PF government, I think they have failed the people of Zambia, they concentrated more on stealing our vote than buying inputs such as fertilizer and seeds and so on and so forth now look at what has happened today, we don’t know how our harvest will be this coming season and you’ve seem we have been invaded by army worms and the commander in chiefs of armyworms is doing literally nothing about it, he has done nothing about it,” said Mwamba.
Earlier, a state prosecutor told the court that police were investigating the alleged shooting that occured the previous day as Hichilema and GBM were making their way to Luanshya.
And there was still heavy police presence at the court premises despite the court ordering police to let the two accused persons attend the court sessions freely.
Ndola principle resident magistrate John Mbuzi, who sat in Luanshya, adjourned the matter after the defence applied that they needed more time to organize their defence.
Trial continues.
