Dedza chiefs demanding cash for Fisp

Some chiefs in Traditional Authority (TA) Kaphuka in Dedza have been accused of demanding money from their subjects as a precondition for inclusion on the list of beneficiaries of Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp).

Chongoni Citizen Forum, a group of community-based development activists in the area, is alleging that some group village heads were forcing people to pay money ranging from K500 to K1 000 if they wanted to be enlisted for 2016/17 Fisp.

Speaking yesterday during a community meeting where they summoned various chiefs, chairperson for the grouping, Chayambana Kanyang’wa, said the tendency could mess up the government initiative which is aimed at achieving food security among poor households.

“The chiefs were claiming that the money was being requested by agricultural extension officers. However, our investigations have shown that it was a lie. That is why we have summoned them to explain themselves so that we should know the truth on the issue,” he said.

Kanyang’wa said about 10 chiefs are being implicated and he indicated that his group is going to force them to pay back the money or they will mobilise communities to hold demonstrations and petition the office of the district commissioner (DC).

One of the implicated chiefs, GVH Mkopoka, admitted to have asked people in his village to make the contributions. n