Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe kicked out of AIP program

Minister of Lands Sam Kawale is the new chairperson for a committee responsible for implementation of Affordable Input Program (AIP).

The committee was previously chaired by Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe.

Confirming the development government spokesperson Gospel Kazako said leadership in such committees is rotational and does not mean that the line minister will always have to be the chair.

Kazako said: “There are several committees on several tasks. It is not a must that a line minister should be the Chairperson.

“In the case of Energy Committee, for example, Hon Sosten Gwengwe is the Chairperson. Similarly, Hon Sam Kawale is the chair for AIP Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture is the head of the committee secretariat.”

Kazako also said this new committee was constituted four months ago and does not in any way reflect loss of confidence in the previous Chairperson.

There are serious questions surrounding implementation of the 2022/23 AIP after revelations that government has been ‘duped’ in a fertiliser deal involving a United Kingdom firm which terminated a contract after pocketing partial payment amounting to K750 million.

Source:NPL