The Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) has charged that Agriculture Minister Wilbur Simuusa’s expression of shock at the high price of Mealie Meal in the country is an indication of how detached Ministers are from the realities of ordinary Zambians on the ground.
FDD Spokesperson Antonio Mwanza says this is also evidence that Ministers do not share in the poverty, destitution and the suffering of the Zambian people.
Mr. Mwanza has told QFM News that this is why the PF government has failed to respond to the needs of the Zambian people.
Mr. Mwanza says the challenge Zambians have is that Ministers are living comfortably in their homes without any idea of what the ordinary people are going through.
He states that Zambians have been complaining about the high Mealie meal prices for a long time, and that it is sad that the minister in charge who should have first hand information had no idea about the cost of mealie meal.
Meanwhile, the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) says it is not to blame for the high mealie meal prices in the country, attributing the increase in mealie meal prices to high transportation costs from the production point of the commodity to the market.
MAZ President Allan Sakala has told Qfm in an interview that transporters are overcharging mealie meal traders to transport the product to various parts of the country.
Mr. Sakala explains that most milling companies are situated in urban areas, hence traders buying the mealie meal are incurring additional costs to transport the commodity to rural areas.
Mr. Sakala notes that for as long as the cost of transportation continues to increase, the price of Mealie Meal will also continue escalating.
He says the best way to address the escalating mealie meal prices is by addressing price of fuel.
He however laments that it is the poor Zambians who are being affected by the increase in the price of Mealie Meal.
Mr. Sakala has since appealed to people to buy Mealie Meal from traders who are contracted by the Millers stating that their prices are controlled.
He has further appealed to government to consider reintroducing subsidies on fuel and maize to help cushion the impact of the high prices of mealie meal.
What do you expect from useless ministers
It is no use pointing fingers at millers, transporters and wholesalers.
The blame for this is MISMANAGEMENT OF THE ZAMBIA ECONOMY by current PF Government. SATA and CHIKWANDA are the culprits, plus the USELESS shuffled Ministers of Agriculture that cannot supply inputs on time!
PF is a serious loss of a party.They increase the minimum wage,remove subsidies on fuel and maize,engage in poor governance that results in loss of investor confidence then exclaim surprise at the escalating mealie meal prices which are set to increase even more thanks to the failure by sweet talker Sichinga’s performance as the immediate past Agricultural Minister.
The fact that the minister of Agriculture was not aware how high the price is of bunga in the country is a sign that he is not working. How come he is not getting market intelligent reports on the commodities his ministry has a mandate over? Pf is a lost call, yes they are lost. If one is able to comprehend with the reports he is given in the boardroom every Monday morning by his PS and other technocrats then you know that he is confirming to be useless. Indeed Simuusa you are useless and lost in that ministry.
…not able to comprehend with reports…..
It is just unfortunate as a nation that we have such people as ministers in our midst. How surely would you expect a nation to develop when you have such people as your leaders who are not aware of the price of your staple food when prices have been so high for over two years! God save us. I even tend to think that it was even a waste of time to get independence. It is not working well for us.May be under colonial masters, we would have been far much better and well off than we are under these minions who are courting civil by 2016.
I am equally shocked that the Minister responsible for Agriculture is shocked at high mealie mea prices. Does he live in Zambia or he came from Belgium?
The person to blame here is that Bob guy who used to talk too much when he was whatever he was that n MMD was in power. He was talking as if he was Mr. knows it all and that he can make a good minister. He has failed in that sit and transferred him to another ministry, why not fire him? My heart bleeds for that poor widow, poor man, orphan.
You blame Simuusa? Why should you blame Hon. Simuusa, you must blame Bob Sichinga Mr. I know it al who failed in that ministry. Please Bob Talking is cheap, but do the job.
Why do you blame Bob, who is not shocked, for the shock reaction of others! Own up. Let your man Simuusa be in the real world, period.
who is uselessest than the other bob sichinga the character with cheap talk time and a brain the size of a chicken or simusa wilbur the clueless chap who doest not live in zambia and has a full head with half wiped brain matter
One would think they have common ground when they have their cabinet meeting. Do they just listen to folk tales and doze off in there after a heavy finger meal? Even the excuse of a different minister involved is not a bright one.
The president has already told the nation about his ministers. It is not surprising because this is one of Mr Sats’s useless ministers.
RE: “Mr. Sakala notes that for as long as the cost of transportation continues to increase, the price of Mealie Meal will also continue escalating.
He says the best way to address the escalating mealie meal prices is by addressing price of fuel.
He however laments that it is the poor Zambians who are being affected by the increase in the price of Mealie Meal.”
Now for Minister Wilbur Simuusa before his shock settles Thursday 17, 2014 from midnight fuel prices have been raised affecting transportation which will in turn be increased and the poor including the youths and all who were cheated to vote PF will be affected by a further increase in price of mealie meal on top of what is being charged now!
IF SATA MICHEAL CALLS HIS MPS AND HIS MINISTERS USELESS HE KNOWS HOW USELESS THEY ARE.
IMAGINE A MINISTER GETTING SUPRISED OVER THE COST OF LIVING MEALIE MEAL IN PARTICULAR. THIS SHOWS HOW MINISTERS ARE GETTING SUBSIDISED ENJOYING TAX PAYERS MAONEY. THEY ARE IN LIVING IN PARADISE. THIS IS THE SAME MINISTER SIMUSA WHO HAVE COMPLETELY FAILED THE CHINGOLA PEOPLE . ALL MOST ALL ROADS IN NCHANGA CONSTITUENCY ARE IMPASSABLE. BUT HE IS ENJOYING DRIVING ON GOOD ROADS WHERE HIS FELLOW MPS ARE DOING THE WORK. COME BACK SIR. TO CHINGOLA. THERE IS NO ROADS IN CHINGOLA. CANT YOU GO TO KITWE AND LUANSHYA AND SEE HOW YOUR FRIENDS HAVE DONE. SO FDD YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THESE ARE THE PEOPLE YOU CAMPAIGNED FOR.