.MR. SCOTT

By KAIKO NAMUSA –

VICE-President Guy Scott has said 209, 498 people were recommended for food support amounting 12, 570 metric tonnes of maize in 18 districts in the country.
Dr Scott said in a ministerial statement to Parliament on Thursday that seven of the districts were in Southern Province and this covers the period of 18 months from August 2013 to March 2014.
Dr Scott said so far, a total of 8, 262.74 metric tonnes had been released to the targeted districts.
Updating the House on the 2013/2014 relief food programme, the Vice-President said his office had revised the relief food guidelines in order to enhance transparency, accountability and ensure that the food reached the intended beneficiaries.
“I wish to inform the House that so far, the guidelines have been well received by various stakeholders and are working very well though in some districts we have received resistance from communities that are uncomfortable with increased accountability and transparency,” he said.
He said to complete the 2013/14 relief food programme and to kick-start the 2014/15 relief food programme, 25, 000 metric tonnes were required from strategic reserves held at the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).
He said taking into consideration the mandate of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) under his office, and working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, a technical committee had been established to monitor  the unfolding food security situation and the rainfall pattern, the input distribution and strategic maize stocks.
He said the committee was expected to provide early warning information for Government to be able to take timely interventions when need arose.
In relation to perennial floods in cities and towns, Dr Scott said the DMMU was providing back up support to the works being undertaken by the local authorities whose mandate was to open up and maintain drainages.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Ngosa Simbyakula said in another ministerial statement that investigations had been launched following the death of Mathias Banda at Chilenje Police Station.
The late Banda, who was 25-years-old, was arrested on February 14, this year, by police officers based at the police station on a charge of burglary and died the following morning.
“Investigations by police have been constituted and two people among the inmates were positively identified by fellow inmates during an identification parade conducted by police. The two have since been arrested for the offence of murder and will appear in court soon,” Dr Simbyakula said.