By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –

THE Government has not allowed the Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) to conduct a farming input distribution programme similar to the one that it (Government) is executing.
Agriculture Minister Given Lubinda said in Parliament yesterday that the Government had not allowed FDD president Edith Nawakwi to conduct a farming distribution exercise to farmers which was similar to the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Ms Nawakwi last week launched a farming input distribution programme valued at K500,000 to benefit 300 farmers in various parts of the country.
The programme is similar to FISP that the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture is undertaking benefiting more than one million farmers.
“Government is not aware of the programme, its objective and coverage, and this is an irregularity which the FDD president should correct by registering this exercise with the Registrar of Societies,” Mr Lubinda said.
The minister said this in response to a question raised by Patriotic Front (PF) Kapiri Mposhi Member of Parliament (MP) Eddie Musonda who wanted to know whether the FDD, a political party, was allowed to conduct a programme similar to the FISP by the Government.
Mr Lubinda said that any person who wished to conduct such a programme should register with the Registrar of Societies and inform the Ministry of Agriculture to avoid duplication of the programme.
A search at the Registrar of Societies revealed that there was no non-governmental organisation (NGO) registered to conduct such a programme.
Mr Lubinda clarified that the programme would not interfere with the nationwide FISP benefiting one million people while the one by FDD would only benefit 300.
He said if the programme was being done in good faith, the FDD should inform the ministry, just like other organisations were doing to ensure there was no duplication of beneficiaries.
MMD Kasempa Member of Parliament (MP) Kabinga Pande questioned the minister if the Government would allow the FDD to continue with the programme if it informed Government.
Mr Lubinda said the Government could not stop the FDD depending on the objective behind the programme.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Deputy Minister Panji Kaunda said the riots in Roan and Mpatamatu townships last week were caused by the miners who were demanding payments of the dues and improved conditions of service from the Chinese mining company.
Colonel Kaunda dismissed ascertains that the riots were politically motivated.
He told the House that three people were arrested and charged with conduct likely to cause the breach of peace.
Col Kaunda said this in response to a question raised by MMD Mpongwe MP Gabriel Namulambe who wanted to know what caused the riots in the two townships and the measures that the Government was undertaking to ensure that similar incidents did not reoccur.