Drought forces villagers to sell their livestock for a song

VILLAGERS in most parts of Binga are now selling their livestock for a song with goats going for as little as $5 while cattle are selling at around $100 as they seek to raise money to buy food.

The situation has seen unscrupulous businesspeople pouncing on desperate villagers with mealie-meal and maize which they exchange for livestock.

Officials said villagers had no option but to exchange livestock for maize or mealie-meal since the drought situation in the area was worsening.

Senator Chief Siansali said villagers had no option except to give away their livestock at cheaper prices for them to get something to eat.

"People have been starving since last year and now most of them have nothing left in their granaries," said Chief Siansali.

"We have received reports from councillors who are desperate for Government and donor community to help them with maize. We have people who are going for days without eating while others have been buying maize at very unreasonable prices."

He said villagers were forced to exchange a goat for a 10 kilogramme bag of maize or mealie-meal. Chief Siansali said some villagers were also selling their cattle at $100 or below, way below the average price of one beast. 10 kilogrammes of mealie-meal cost around $5 while goats cost an average of $30.

However, the circumstances induced by the drought have left thousands of people in the district falling prey from individuals who are accessing maize and selling it at exorbitant prices.

Binga district administrator Mrs Lydia Banda said her office had no direct influence on how villagers could sell their livestock although she said a goat on average cost between $15 and $25 in Binga.

She appealed to Government for immediate relief measures.

Some of the areas which have been targeted by unscrupulous businesspeople include Lubu, Nsenga and Samende.