The Zambia Consumer Association (ZACA) has condemned government’s decision to donate 9,000 tonnes of maize to Zimbabwe.
ZACA Executive Director Muyunda Ililonga says his organization is saddened with the move taken by government to assist Zimbabwe when some people in some parts of Zambia still do not have food.
Mr. Ililonga explained to ZANIS in an interview in Lusaka today, that many parts of the country are still in need of relief food therefore there is need to address their needs before making any donation to another country.
He also added that many millers in the country are still selling their mealie meal at high prices owing to high prices of maize.
Mr. Ililonga said this scenario confirms that the country still has shortages of stock to satisfy the local market demand.
He disclosed that the country at the moment requires a lot of maize as this year’s stocks still have high moisture content hence the need for government to safeguard the old stocks.
He noted that there is need for government to ensure that its citizens have enough food before thinking about assisting its neighbours to fulfill their promises.
The ZACA chief further added that there was no need for the Zambian government to pledge such a big donation when it does not know how much crop it is likely harvest from 2008-2009 farming season.
Mr. Ililonga was reacting to government’s pledge of 9,000 tonnes of maize to Zimbabwe as a contribution towards that country’s economic recovery.
ZANIS/MM/AM/ENDS
Whose decision was it? If it was RB alone acting like a good samaritan then get on his throat!!
A f.oolish father giving away food when there is not enough in his own house
Let more people condemn this move. Feed yourself before you can feed others… Even the Air hostess instructions (in flight attendants, say put Oxygen mask on yourself before applying it on others.. what do you think they mean???
An impulsive leader who acts without consideration or thought on consequences.
RB has been too quick on this one.We all know blessed is the hand that giveth than the one that receiveth but this is the time when the govt has not even announced the floor price and others are recovering from acute starvation
Yah Victor is working with his ZACA, its a good observation indeed. RB is trying to feed his brothers, get the history right. People in Lundazi dont have food as at now because all they had grown was washed away by the rains, and the little they thought they would haverst was destroyed by the animals., elephants and ngulube. This man with his shamwaris is insane. Victor tell them. By the way I know the ZACA chief by this name( Victor ) from grade 4, when he joined our school.
Victor from grade 4 hah? anyway enough with the popularity contest, i think RB is a very irrisponsible man. Does anyone know whats up with the impeachment process? keep me afloat, how can he be giving maize to Mugabe the horse that doesnt give up.
Change or die Zambia
Zambia is for Genuine Zambians speak ZACA….It will never again be for merciless capitalists / fake Economists
Koma RB with your people tamwakwata amono, in Bemba we say “akachila kabushi kasengula epokele” what type of Leaders do we have in zambia!!
This is un heard of, why is it that it always Zimbabwe, this reminds, bloggers do you remember, that Last year we had Cholera, in Lusaka of all places. The Zambian goverment generously donated K500 Million towards the mitigation of cholera situation in Zambabwe. As if this is not enough the government is now donating tonnes fo maize to this country whose infrastructures were built using the money from our copper. Mealie Meal is still not affordable to ordinary Zambians. People have lost employment in he mining sector, and overty levels are high, why can’t our government use the money to subsides the prices of mealie meal whihc is not affordable to many Zambians. RB and your people you want to kill the very people who voted for you, please for once can you have the heart for the people.
He is helping his own motherland….Even a 2year old really laughed atthis gesture,donating to others when yo own pipo do not have any,moreover the mealie meal prices are so high but tonnes of maize are going elsewhere…RBs thinking is so low…….Morning everyone?My long weekend is over..
Rb is not a Zambian !We all know that he was born in Zimbabwe.why not 2 help is his own people.Zambia will be sharing everything with Zimbabwe.it’s like Zimbabwe is ruling us
His heart is in Zimbabwe where he was born.Family members are still in Zim.
Atase bane, Zambians don’t know how 2 vote.I’m tired of our country as if we can’t think..Why putting people who can’t rule us?Everyone knew RB was useless but u gave him the votes.
Mpuno Ukhulu is destroying us… Mark ky words no sooner the presidency ends than he will be self exiled to f#*?n Gwanda. That is a fact he has enough on his plate to follow suit on chiluba… The guy even allowed FTJ to leave the country… All FTJ is doing is earning your trust that he can come back when he leaves Zed… It is see me now see me never he is playing at
#13, blame VJ and the villagers for this mess!
Time is very ripe for Zambia to have a revolution a total shift from 45 years of bad governments,but this can’t happen in Zambia because no one is ready to take the bull by its horns and strangle it.The MMD needs to be toppled by any means necessary,through the fake voting it won’t happen as they’ll play the rural vote nonsense.What we have in Zambia is not democracy but DEMOCRATIC DICTATORSHIP where everything sounds good on paper only.For example,freedom of speech only if you support the government,freedom of association only with MMD,freedom to gather only if you are with MMD.Change or Die Zambia!!
The young shall rule , Not the snake MC, Not the Nyama soya( soya beans meat) RB and certainly Not the destroyer HH
Guys… We are to blame in zed… We are complicit to murder and whatever contracts Mpuno Ukhulu and his cohorts are pulling now. Mpuno Ukhulu goes further to donate maize to unappreciating Zim after all we done for them. Mpuno Ukhulu’s own people are wallowing in poverty right now worsened by the fact that he has increased demand for maize in the country,hence, further increasing the price for the commodity. We should vote guys, look at where our apathy is taking us
Yes giving food to neighbours is ok as long as you have more than enough for yourself and that neighbour’s lack of food is not self inflicted. Mugabe has been very irresponsible indeed. He is like a pensioner who abandones his family for mahule and starts to cry when the money finishes. I feel sorry for the innocent Zimbabs
#19 Bro? sis That is right and very correct…
Hes trying to create a profile hes never had!!
For every grain of food given by Zambia to Zimbabwe, Zambia shall get 7. Have faith in God. Giving is not that bad.
I dont think Zambia is in a position to give maize to Zim but was the decision to donate not taken collectively by SADC? Is it only Zambia that is donating maize to Zim or are other SADC members also doing the same? Also let us not react too emotionally, if people in Zim are starving and then they start crossing the borders then that might cause social unease in neighbouring countries such as ours. Look at what happened last year in South Africa. Congo is still suffering from social unrest caused by huge movements of people from Rwanda. So I suggest we look at the bigger picture and analyse the situation constructively.
So #23 what you’re basically saying is starve your own in the name of peace and stability right… Just brilliant!
You are all being emotional and greedy. The reason donors give us aid even when they have needs is to control us.we all have poor relatives in villages but this does not stop us helping a hungry neighbour. Let’s be realistic for once.
It is goods to give than to receive, RB was just following what any normal human being could do, For him to decided to give the maize to ZM. it means that he knows there i pleany of food in Zambia to feed all the pipo.
lets help the needy.
Nyangu I did not say we shoud ignore starving Zambians. You can not compare the situation at present in Zim and in Zambia – they are in a far worse situation than we are. Let us not be over dramatic – yes people here and there do not have enough to eat but to say that there is widespread starvation in Zambia is to exaggerate. What I am asking for is for people to be less emotional and reactionay when they read about issues. Let us inform ourselves as to the context in which things are happening. I want to know more about the decision that has been taken – hence my question regarding the involvement of SADC. When am better informed then I will be in a better position to give an opinion.
We do not live in an island – what happens in our neighbouring countries effects us. We as a country have suffered economically from our geographical position – Angola, Mozambique, DRC, Namibia. If donating maize to Zim helps to stabilise the political situation there, and also mitigates the negative economic effects, then surely we will benefit as a country. Do we really want Zim to descend into civil war? Sometimes we have to look at the bigger and long term picture instead of just reacting like uninformed kaponyas.
#25 ETHEL. You are completely wrong about DONOR COUNTRIES giving us in order to control. The west or indeed the rich nations give us aid in order to create employment for their NATIONALS. For every $ they give us an adminstrator is employed.
Mr. Illilonga Muyunda has been with ZACA for ages! When are you retiring?
Deja Vu there is some truth in both what you and Ethel say. Donor countries use aid for political leverage. I remember watching an interview with the former British minister responsible for foreign aid Clare Short who said as much. Given this, perhaps we should look at Zambia’s donation to Zimbabwe in a different light. Zambia might use this donation to get some concessions from Zim in the future or to get Zim’s support in international organisations such as the UN. Additionally, we should not forget that Zambia’s donation will be reported in the global press which will improve Zambia’s standing – hence the need to look at the bigger picture.
this is too much RB naiwe……we are not saying giving is bad NO all we are saying is that first look after yo children in yo house b4 helping out the neighbor.FIRST press, press and press that heartless MUGABE to step down….he has brot his pipo into all that mess.Only L.P.M had the cahones 2 contradict Mugabe.
#32 , what are “cahones”?someone please tell me.
#31 Peter Chipango.Iam curious,by any chance were at at Evelyn Hone? The name vlicks something.
#34 I meant”were you at”
#30.You are very right on Mr. Illilonga Muyunda.Does it mean thaat ZACA is a personal-to-holder organisation with no terms of office?
Sharp Shooter I was never at Evelyn Hone but I used to dance on the tv on Zamarts.
#30 AN 32 He is not an honory secretary he is an employee as Executive Secretary.of this NGO
In Zambia our priorities are twisted. We would rather have our neighbours enjoy our labour whilst we suffer. It is really terrible.