Agriculture vote passes amid protests
Parliament on Tuesday passed the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security vote amid continued protests from opposition MPs who felt dissatisfied with government’s position to maintain K60 billion (about $150m) for the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp).
The discontent among Members of Parliament (MPs) led to a split in the voice vote, leading to chair of the Committee of Supply, Jones Chingola, to call for a roll call vote as the opposition called for a division after the vote was given to the government side.
The passing of the vote was also characterised with drama after Chingola was forced to break the norm and call for a voice vote three times following objections on all his earlier rulings.
Most of the MPs asked Minister of Finance Ken Lipenga to justify the K60 billion allocation and demanded that the Minister of Agriculture provide a report on Fisp before the vote is approved.
The MPs also demanded to know beneficiaries of Fisp, with some arguing that it was the middle men and transporters who were benefiting more than the smallholder farmers.
Said Chitipa North MP Nickson Masebo: “Seriously, would the minister convince this House that the money benefits the people who use the fertiliser or the transporters? I am asking this because all the scandals to do with Fisp involve the transporters and other middle men.”
Lilongwe Mapuyu South MP Joseph Njobvuyalema, who is also MCP spokesperson on finance in Parliament, wondered how government, which he said failed to manage last year’s almost K44 billion (about $110m) Fisp, will manage an increased allocation.
After a long debate, Lilongwe Msozi South MP Vitus Dzoole Mwale suggested that the vote be deferred after observing that the Fisp allocation has a lot of issues that need to be sorted out.
In his response to the queries, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Peter Mwanza admitted that the Fisp has a lot of problems but said the government has dealt with most of the issues and would also welcome suggestions on how the programme can be improved further.
During the roll call vote, almost the whole United Democratic Front (UDF) walked out of the House and the vote passed with 52 votes against 42 with 95 members being absent and three abstaining.
