Over 20 Members of Parliament are at Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) headquarters in Blantyre demanding government to release fertilizer to their constituencies.
According to the MPs, many of whom who are from opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and United Democratic Front (UDF), their constitutes have not been receiving fertilizer under the K180 billion Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP).
Also present at the SFFRFM officers are independent MPs and legislators from UTM which is a member of the ruling Tonse Alliance.
They are demanding what they say is justice in the distribution of AIP fertilizers to areas.
According to the MPs, Government recently received 5000 metric tonnes of fertilizer but only 1000 metric tonnes were distributed areas in the Southern and Eastern regions where they MPs come from.
The legislators allege that most fertilizer is being sent to the Central Region which is the stronghold of the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
At the SFFRFM premises, the MPs have closed the main gate and are blocking any truck loaded with fertiliser from leaving the premises.
Speaking to Nation Online, MP for Thyolo Central Constituency Ben Phiri, said: “We have made attempts to plead with the Minister of Agriculture to consider us on Urea considering the level at which maize requires the product, if we don’t apply urea this week forget about harvest and we, as leaders, would have failed our people,” said Ben Phiri, from Thyolo Central Constituency.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has told the local media that the MPs will receive the fertilizer today.
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