By JOHN SAKALA
Rainbow Party General Secretary Wynter Kabimba says Zambian Farmers cannot develop because they have failed to graduate from the famous government support program called Farmer Input Support Program (FISP).
Speaking in Chingola yesterday during a media briefing, Mr Kabimba said FISP program is not progressive because some farmers were born under FISP and will die under FISP.
He said the farmers need to graduate and stand alone at some time after benefiting from the FISP program.
Mr Kabimba said like in Chingola, the residents are miners by birth and all they need are mining related jobs to sustain them and not farming.
“Before the elections in 2016, I came to Chingola and I was told that President Edgar Lungu had promised to give ex-miners farms so that they could venture into farming. I laughed because, it is very difficult for a miner to go into farming. And today I’m back here in Chingola and none of those farms given to ex-miners are productive.
“What the people of Chingola need is a politician that gives them jobs in line career which are mine related such as boosting the venture for small scale miners. You need someone who understands that no foreign direct investment (FDI) can change the economy of Zambia. There is no investor that will come to develop Zambia, it is our duty to do so. Japan, China and Malaysia are among the countries that have developed their own economy,” he said.
He said the over dependence on FDI and foreign investment has left Zambia in debt shambles.
Mr Kabimba said the debt has come by because of non-participation of the locals in the development of the country and as a result money is never in circulation in Zambia.
He said in the agenda to develop Zambia the press has a key role to play in projecting the views of the people so that they make informed decision.
He implored the media to be informed by conducting research so that news is not just full of opinions.
“I need the fourth estate that has data even to challenge me, policy makers not leaving out the Head of State,” he said.
