Acting Minister of Finance and National Planning, Chipoka Mulenga, has expressed displeasure with several commercial banks for failing to process payments to farmers despite the government having released the necessary funds.
Addressing farmers at the Northern Province Provincial Administration, Mr. Mulenga revealed that government released the funds on 30th December 2025.
He noted that had the banks acted with the necessary urgency, all farmers would have been paid by now, and acknowledged the frustrations caused by the delay.
The farmers, who travelled from various satellite depots, sought the Minister’s audience, stating that they felt unheard by local officials.
“President Hakainde Hichilema, being a farmer himself, deeply understands the challenges the farmers are facing and is committed to resolving the matter,” Mr. Mulenga emphasized.
He reminded stakeholders that farmers are the backbone of the nation’s food security and must be treated with the respect and urgency they deserve.
Mr. Mulenga assured the farmers that government is working to rectify the logistical challenges in order to ensure that future payments are more seamless.
“It is unacceptable that our farmers are being made to wait when the funds have already been dispatched. These are the people who feed this nation; they are the pillars of our food security, and we will not allow administrative inertia at the banks to jeopardize their livelihoods.”
To resolve the bottleneck, the Minister has also taken it upon himself to visit the banks in person to inspect the payment processes and ensure that the funds reach the intended beneficiaries without further delay.
This is according to a statement issued by Northern Province Principal Public Relations Officer, Sandra Mulenga.
