Police in the Copperbelt mining town of Chingola have impounded 16 trucks with maize destined for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
District police chief Chibesa Musa has confirmed the development.
Mr. Musa says documents on some of the trucks indicate that maize is in transit from Tanzania to DRC although the trucks did not have proof of having entered Tanzania.
He said the trucks will be handed over to the Zambia Revenue Authority to verify their documents.
Acting District Administrative officer Philip Simbule said security has been stepped up to curb smuggling of the staple food.
The enhanced security measures have since seen an improvement in the availability of mealie meal on the market.
Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo share a long common border
/ZNBC/NEWS
Is this how it is?
2 trucks
I thot it was 2 trucks now I told three not 16
interesting :d
This maize smuggling must stop. Why don’t our Congolese neighbours grow their own? Plus they have 3 times more land than we do.
Or are they 3 times lazier to farm?
Now am back to the Dora Slit thread.
Never ending story
why are things running like this.honestly its not good,we are starving in this country and others even have maize to take to other countries. :o:o:o
Again ?
some chaps from lusaka are involved in this scam. you will know them soon.
The Govt., should exploit the enormous Congo Market.Come up with prudent policies, we grow more to export to Congo and earn free bumper FOREX. Not those doctored false maize bumper harvests we never saw. Now Countrymen follow this story and LT stop being reported reporters web site, start to investigate. These trucks will ferry their contraband across the border into Congo. This story or issue will never see the inside of a court, mark my words.Big Fishes are involved, the Police and ZRA always let them proceed after a few days. Today it’s Wed. Check Friday this contraband will be safely in Congo. maybe Henry Banda is also involved, its single sourced Maize.
This is sad…2 trucks or 16, how does such even reach that far? LT, where did the trucks come from? Were they loaded in Chingola?? :-w
Well done. We do not have enough maize for our own population. Mazabuka, Choma, Solwezi, etc, have a shortfall of maize. Why smuggle our maize? Do not give an excuse for Nyama Soya to bring in GMO. Once again, thank you to the police service.
People are starving in your own country then top officials are busy smuggling the commodity to neighbouring countries.
what sort of Leaders are ? pliziiiiii! [-([-([-([-([-([-([-([-( i don’t know.
RB whats happening maybe you are surrounded by wrong advisers?….
I hope some people’s sons are not involved in this one.
Poor Zambian thinking as usual! why stop the trucks???? we should just grow a lot of maize to legally export to Congo. This smauggling of maize or ubunga to Congo has been there even before I was born. Do you remember those songs like ” ba simagola ba simagola ba simagola bapwisha bunga!!!” but up to now the only thing we think can earn us big money is copper yaba!
Sometimes i suport gvnt but on this one i dont suport them, i neither surport those suggesting someone else other than themselves should produce maize for them to feed on.Govnt has made a big blander by incouraging subsidies for the purpose of controlling Maize price in a landlocked country. I ask a question, if i can produce maize out of my own effort why should the govnt tell me the price and where to sell my produce even when i dont participate in the rubbish FSP? Dont you think i have the right to sell my produce and at whetever price i deem fit? Those that want to put prices on other peoples produce should produce the maize themselves while we go to cotton and tobbaco.
.In Zambia in rains in every district and there is plenty of land we also know very well that govnt has no farm.As a farmer i produce maize from my own energy since rainfull is free, why should the govnt stop me from from selling my produce to Congo or Malawi at a better price if the Zambias cant afford? on one hand you want to encourage maize farming on the other you want cheap maize then how do i make profit to continue with the buisness? Even if you make the price Cheap by whatever subsidy why should i not be allowed to sell to whoever i want including foreigners if i dont participate in subsidies.
Don’t worry people. It is the same GMO maize that RB and sons meant to feed Zambians.
Lets hope so! Or is it the story they will tell to get out of this sham? 😕
# 16 Engine whatever
Please think twice, how can you give food to your friend`s children when yours are in deep hunger.
Much as i support your thinking i feel Zambia is faced with an emergency crisis therefore, there is no need to export now until we reach the next harvest season period!
People should stop to be selfish in cases such as this one
GMO mudala nayo nayo paka uko …
While smuggling is an illigal, I see nothing wrong to export maize, or any commodity. I a potential market in Congo, and why can’t Zambia grow more food for both home feed and export? I am supprised GRZ with police see Congo as stealing food, whereas I am seeing a potential export market. These are the kind of leaders we have in Zambia, and you expect the country to develop? To be honest, Visit rural Zambia, farmers grow more than enough maize to export. GRZ fails farmers by failing to collect rural produce reaped under cooperative schemes, all due to GRZ poor transport, road networks and marketting policies.
I visited rural Zambia, Southern, Central, Lusaka CB, NWP and NP, where I saw a similar sight of rotten maize stock piles, for one or two previous harvests, at rural cooperative centers, but could not be picked up. Talking to rural farmers, they were not paid, yet they were being bothered to pay for the fertilizer, supplied late, or they would not receive fertilizers for the new growing season. If paid, its under market value. This is the story of a Zambian farmer. Is GRZ justified to block the initiative of farmers in view of this story, in the name of smuggling?
Some more reasons I feel GZR should not block maize going outside is that with the fall of copper prices and Zimbabwe, once called “Africa bread basket”, Zambia should have taken the opportunity to organize the agricultural sector.
There is lots of food produced in Zambia, but GRZ under MMD has never focussed on implementing good marketting policies to sustain and develop the agric sector. They could not give enough time to Chance Kabaghe to develop FRA. They killed ZNS farming muscle, paralizing the wing, whome they mistook for a potential military rebel group for KK (Kaunda). Its not late to improve, but let a free market policy prevail, or how do you even dream to export to UK + USA
Citizens free Maize at the police station , with the hunger in southern province the solution has been found.Get the Maize before the superiors come in and grab all the Maize
Hello
#11 I agree, this should be seen as a business opportunity for our farmers. Gov’t should support local farmers to produce more food for export to neighbouring countries. Restructure the Frt. Support program to benefit and encourage farmers. :)>-#:-s
The learned economists say the price of a commodity is determined by its scarcity! I agree with those who advocate for Govt. to promote more maize production and allow exports. Too much talk about moving away from depending on copper to agric. With the new earth moving machines bought, let Govt move in to areas in Kabwe,Mumbwa,Mpongwe, all disticts on the copperbelt and open up farms (farming multipurpse Zones) and use just half (K200billion) of the fertiliser support funds to support locals grow maize. By 2010 we will be earning loads of $$$. Lets do practical things that reduce poverty and grow the economy. PS Lets act not TALK and arrest people trying respond to the market forces.