President Hichilema Apologises for Delayed Maize Payments, Confirms Funds Released

President Hakainde Hichilema has apologised to farmers for delayed maize payments while confirming that funds have been mobilised and deposited with commercial banks for distribution.

Speaking during a live phone-in on Diamond TV from his farm, where he is on official leave, President Hichilema explained that government initially planned to purchase 500,000 metric tonnes of maize through the Food Reserve Agency. However, following exceptional farmer response to drought recovery efforts, the target was raised to 1.6 million tonnes to protect producers from exploitative buyers.

He said the expansion created a funding gap, but confirmed the necessary resources had since been secured. Payments were ongoing but slower than expected, largely due to logistical constraints affecting farmers without bank or mobile money accounts.

The President acknowledged the delays and issued an apology to farmers, stressing that all those who delivered maize would be paid. He said banks had been instructed to accelerate electronic transfers.

On energy supply, President Hichilema said electricity availability had improved following increased imports through Zimbabwe under the Southern African Power Pool, with transmission capacity rising from approximately 200 to 400 megawatts. He added that government had accelerated solar power projects and diversified energy sources to strengthen resilience against drought-related hydroelectric shortages.

Addressing persistent rumours, the President dismissed speculation about his health as irresponsible, confirming he was healthy and criticising attempts to politicise such matters.

He concluded that government reforms across agriculture, energy, mining, and infrastructure required patience and sustained effort to deliver tangible benefits.