United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema has charged that the continued high Mealie-meal prices on the market are due to incompetent management of the maize marketing system by the government last year.
Mr. Hichilema told QFM News that mealie-meal prices have remained high despite the presidential intervention in the matter.
He noted that compelling millers to reduce the prices of mealie- meal in the absence of enough maize stocks will not help in any way.
He added that the high mealie- meal prices are just an indication that the PF has failed to manage the country’s agriculture sector adding that Zambians need to brace themselves for more hard times this year.
Mr. Hichilema wondered whether the government will be able to manage the country’s food security especially now that the country is not guaranteed of high yields this year owing to the army worms that had invaded most maize fields across the country.
The opposition leader has also cited the late distribution of farming inputs by the government to the farmers as another factor that is most likely to affect the production of the staple food this year.
And Zambians for Empowerment and Development (ZED) president Fred Mutesa has urged government to follow up on the implementation of the agreed reduction of the Mealie meal prices across the country.
Dr. Mutesa told Qfm News in an interview that the mere agreement may not translate into the desired results.
The ZED president said that there are more stakeholders in the supply chain who were not part of the negotiations and monitoring prices will be an ideal measure of ensuring that the agreement is being adhered to.
Dr. Mutesa further urged the PF government to desist from using force and intimidation in pushing for the reduction of prices of various commodities in future.
He said that such steps may not yield positive results.
Government recently struck a deal with millers that saw a reduction of Mealie meal prices but some traders have maintained high prices.
QFM
CNP @ work indeed.
WHy do people eat a mushed solid hand rushed made in 3 hours as food?
I am not saying it wrong to eat Nshima , all I am saying it is overated because no white person eats this, it is ridiculed here in Europe when I was found eating with Nick’s friends and I think they were right
I would like to see the government educate and encourage people on the alternatives
I get annoyed reading about mealie meal let alone nonsensical nshima
Thanks
Ulicheelo dont you know that what one eats is associated with ones culture,geographical location,climate and many other factors. Why do you want to eat what the white eat? Blind follower you are.
What a fool! This is your cultural food and why should I emulate the whites? Ba Mushota stay wherever you are and eat the so called white mans food and we will remain and eat the black mans food. By the way I’m a Nutritionist and I’m proud of my food.
Its high time you get a life!!!! You are the same peopl that pretends not to be Zambian. Seriously you commit made me PUKE!!!! You are disgusting my dear. I feel so insulted by your commit. Its breaks my bones to see that such kind of people like you still exist in this era where everyone is proud of their culture. # truly a fake Zambian, please never go back to Zed!!!!!!
how man pipo can manage other staffs
I usually do not respond to Mushota. Dont eat food because of what other people think. Eat becausue you like and enjoy it. Which white people are you refering to who do not want to eat it. Whenever my white friends visit me they ask for it and I usually prepare it for them and they enjoy it. If you do not like it just say so. There are also certain foods I do not like here. I tell them that I dont like the food but I do not go to the extent of demeaning their food. Grow up lady
Mushota. You should know that differnt types of food is found in differnt places and culture. Maize is a staple food in Zambia. I can understand if you encourage people to eat cassava,millet or sweet potatoes as a substitute. Asking pepole to emuate whites shows how shallow minded you are coupled with infiliarity complex. Be who you are. I know you from Mufulira. You only have a pre school certificate
Mushota you an african,a zambian in fact.muzungu ni muzungu be proud of who you re
Mushota my dear your have such a complex, I pray God keeps you in that relationship lest you run mad. I even doubt you exist you are just here to divert the attention of well meaning people.
Its even a waste of time, effort and energy answering you. God be with you
Let’s talk about ourselves; not the white man in Europe where you, as an immigrant live like a sewer rat.
Nshima is part of us. Why should we go for the whiteman’s food when he despises ours? Cleanse yourself of a colonised brain. Sha!
I missed your senseless comments, at least they attract some responses.
I thought u ar wise.Apapeve wafaula coz u hv been insulted.
nice one mushota
You have a very serious case of inferiority complex. I wonder what your so called White friends would think of you if they knew how poorly you think of yourself and race. Why don’t you do yourself a favor and stay away from this site and any others that report about Zambia?
I think Mushota is great – she is taking the p*ss people so dont take her seriously. In fact somebody with a sophisticated and worldly palate as she undoubtably has, would know that polenta is the staple food of Northern Italy and it is basically nsima. Even the wooden spoon they use to cook it with is the same as the one we use in Zambia and Italian cuisine is said to be one of the most sophisticated in the world. In fact fried polenta is served in some of the best restaurants in London which is a global gastronomic powerhouse. Mushota is a very good wind up merchant and it is actually hilarious how people fall for it day in and day out!
What an i.d.i.o.t this ugly lady is….what kind of pretence is this alot of people commenting here are actually in the diaspora but r very sensitive to what is happening back home and contribute positively, what is the level of your education by the way?? it appears that white muzungu is just hammering you considering that you r dull and this is very visible from your comments every time you contribute. spend some time in class and use yo brain wisely….what a dull lady this one is….
ARE U WHITE YOURSELF? IF YOU ARE ZAMBIAN THEN YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST BE INSULTING YOUR INTELLIGENCE.
Mushota,as inferior as you are,you have mentioned something that makes sense :).ALTERNATIVE FOOD!!am shocked how zambians,including myself,remain attachd to nshima when we have a variety of food(s)!!! if the ‘ubunga’ is xpensive for you,start eating something else,something affordable,something that ll satisfie you in the same manner as nshima!!Rice for example,potatoes,ifima spageti nangu makaroni etc.Qam getting tired of pipo complaining about ubunga!
I see a lot of you have condemned Mushota – but think through this. Why should people be confined to eating Nshima? Is that a manifestation of the lack of creativity which is at the centre of our struggle to develop? Are we using culture as an excuse for failure to create new THINGS? Nutrition and good nutrition contributes to intelligence, health and prosperity – and good nutrition comes in eating a variety of foods – not just Nshima. When are we going to learn to create new things for ourselves?
So think about what you are feeding your children to night. Don’t over stuff them with nshima…let them eat other things – Zambian things – millet, sorghum, cassava, sweet potatoes, pumpkins etc etc. Be Zambian be Proud – INNOVATE.
Uli mafi, waumfwa?
Ubututu kamoneni! A very uneducated and dull black muntu living in Europe. I had 10 white friends from Canada who visited Zambia and were served nshima. They abandoned the hotel food we put on the side and only ate nshima. They appreciated it.
HH, now is the time to spend time with your wife, Mutinta. You will miss her for a long, long time.
Just saying.
Mushota, Tchi-nyo Tcho Be!!
@CNP,i agree with you on yo last comment..
They mismanage but want millers to pay the price. They sell maize to Robert at 42 but want millers to buy at market price. Well, it won’t work.
afrikaans are white but they eat nshima…mushota do you really have a degree?
NO she’s very dull, that is not a calibre for a degree…..unless we see and prove it…could be that she has one in dating white people…..
Ba HH the goverment offloaded maize on the market through FRA but still the millers did not reduce the prices that why H.E MCS intervened and threatened the milliers with the revocation of their licences. It only after this intervention that we have seen the price of bunga come down. It not because of poor management, but of greed millers who wanted to exploit the Zambians. Thank Mr presdo
Whether the Government Offloaded maize on the market or not the fact remains that the inputs cost into Bunga production is still very high. No one will remain in business through a presidential order if he/she cant make any profit. Presidential orders are a sign of things not moving in the right direction.
Who has a copy of Adam Smith’s, “Tha Wealth Of Nations”. I would like it to be sent to the President and to PF so that they know that it is not from the generosity of the baker or the butcher that we get our meal but from their greed and that what controls the greed is not threats but the force of the market to put them out of business.
Have you seen the maize? The price was kr40 and is now kr60, minimum wage, increased cost of business etc.. Have to be considered. We should all just accept that the price has to increase!
Kantanshi you are a dumb nut. Have you ever heard of market equilibrium? You are very useless.
Trial and error govt. Gave out bumper harvest to Mugabe. Now they are sayin lets switch to rice. What comedy.
But bwana Hyper Hyena (HH) can you please offer solutions and not just condemn. A modest politician offer solutions, that how you can win kudos, don’t just condemn without any alternative at all. Mind you you are not helping PF by offering solutions, but the Zambian citizenry that you claim to care about.
Manselebende this hakaivotela heka can not offer solutions for obvious reasons.kula muloleshyafe
Why should he offer advice when it cannot be taken seriously by CNP? If only CNP could learn from Mwanawasa’s leadership, he could see ideas in criticism and use them to his advantage. A fool will always bask in adulation of his/her irrational followers that makes him/her blind to the real issues he/she needs to pay much attention to.
Why you like just to be given solutions. Are we paying our taxes to HH? He has already told you to manage the marketing of maize & agricultural in general better.
HH dont even talk alot you refused to work with sata and opted for RB due to selfishness being learned hoped to vote for you but went to bed with the guy we wanted removed, RB,you dissappointed alot of us infact you should be ashemed of your greed.
Does your comment help reduce the price of meali meal?
I think he has been vindicated otherwise we would never have seen the difference between PF and UPND. He did well not to be part of this incompetence we are witnessing on a daily basis. Well done HH for foresight. You projected the failures very well.
HH was too smart for CNP. He pre-emptied his strategy to use and dump HH like he has done to Saki and he is about to do with Given. Given was one of the people that carried the PF campaign wholeheartedly but is on the verge of being thrown in the cold after CNP has achieved his ambitions.
Well come under five. U have been zee for some time. What is you take with the rebased Kwacha? We are still waiting for your evidence in court about PF training malitias. Personally I can afford mealie meal.
Mushota,
Just say you shun nshima. Do you know that italians eat nshima. They call it polenta and is made from maize meal. Orchestra hakainde avec viva la UPND a.k.a bitter people are day dreaming again. Everything PF is doing is wrong. Anyway, your malilo/mourning continues until 2016.
Chimbwi No plan has failed. He wanted to shield behind HH. HH is educated and saw that the dull CNP wanted to use him. I think HH was smart indeed and not greedy. How do u let a dull person use you so that he makes a name. Now it is clear that CNP had no clue of what to do.
He won alone why should HH help him? Help him do what? Just admit failure you short sighted Chimbwis.
This is the voice of wisdom i always look forward to hear from the true son of Zambia HH. But alas! the the pathetic failures are all deaf & arrogant. Thumbs up Chief HH.
I respect HH more for leaving that pact with Sata. No normal person can work well with CNP unless they are playing politics of the belly. HH you are the man but chimbi/hynas are already chocked.
@Mushota is not a real person.
Ba HH doesn’t know the real cause of mealie meal price hike!In the MMD time,most millers were buying cheap maize that was stolen from FRA by brief-case traders.They were making big margins even on low priced items that were a produce of stolen maize.
Now when PF took over,FRA changed the operating systems and no more maize stealing.Since miller who used to buy cheap stolen maize are unable to do that now,they are finding it difficult to operate with old cosmetic prices.AS A RESULT THEY HAVE NOW PUT THE MEALIE MEAL PRICES AT THE REAL MARGINE WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE CASE EVEN THEN, BUT WAS HIDDEN IN STOLEN MAIZE PRICING.
There was no stolen maize my friend. It is only that the Government used to sell maize at K 42,000.00 per 50 Kg bag to the millers while now it is at K 60,000.00. Dont just demonise people because you hated them. MMD was not so bad. In any case nearly all your leaders in PF are products of MMD. You have even continued poaching from MMD because you have realised that your party(PF) has no capable people to run the affairs of this country. If it were true that MMD was so bad, how come you still see so much credibility in their leaders that you go to such high levels of poaching without shame? shall we then conclude that you have admired their ways of stealing that you would like them to teach you? you dont invite a weak army to help you fight an enemy! MMD is better than PF!
@Observer
What world are you living in to conveniently ignore facts that are right under your nose? You can’t just fabricate stories in order to blame the MMD as their record is there for everyone to see. No maize/mealie meal shortages during their tenure whether or not it was the briefcase boys, we were fed. It is a an undisputed FACT that Sata donated tonnes and tonnes of maize to Mugabe. It is also a known fact that there was “excitement” over the selling of maize to countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa and the DRC actively encouraged by the Govt. No doubt PF saw an opportunity for “more money in their pockets” has the bumper stocks lay piled up at FRA.
HH will win next elections the man has been consistent and means well for this nation . I now see why he couldn’t work CNP. Sata and PF have terribly failed this country . Bunda bwakubwabwata fye. He just says things that never come to fruition. HH please forgives we made a mistake for voting for these thugs tuka fikontolola mu 2016.
Yes man you are very spot on. HH will as usual win in southern province for the fourth time. Amen.
There will be no elections in 2016. Pama fi will declare a state of emergency and incarcerate all opposition party leaders and hordes of their supporters – mark my words.
We are all know that UPND is the government in waiting.
@nshima
Zambians have two prominent items from europe, English language and English soccer. It is asking too much to ask Zambians to copy a european diet because we dont have european income level. However, avoiding nshima is natural when your income levels allow.
MMD is a limping duck(caused by PF) at the moment and the only hope for Zambia now with a regime which has no leadership scope is UPND and HH! Clearly PF has support, but it has no real leadership, its more like multiplying a huge number by zero whose result is nothing!
Can pipo frm south , east & central withhold their maize so that northern & luapula province can have a feel ofwhat it is to support things blindly. Even when.things are not going well they are stil there supporting hunger
Thats what desperation and bitterness for losing elections can do to people like you…hatred against innocent people. Shame on you….shaaaaaa.
HH give alternatives to your disagreement. Your friend Sata was telling us what he would do but you , tells nothing. Thats why you criticism sound so dull and hollow.
Can you change please, oh I forgot that you have no strategy.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
Tell us! what did Sata tell us he would do? I never heard anything tangible. Blind support is worse than losing sight. HH is raising issues as he sees them. It is up to Government to agree with him or not. PF and Mr. Sata made so much noise against Mr. Mwanawasa and RB with no solutions than the noise being made by all political parties combined. My dear just be happy that you are being taken back to the UNIP days with your eyes and ears open. It wont help to ask HH or Chipimo to give you solutions. If you have decided not to listen, so be it. The people of Zambia will make you listen just like they did to UNIP and MMD.
Man keep on dreaming, hating and being frustrated with your HH who will never be president. Your HH always finds wrong in whatever government does. Who doesn’t know you guys….you have no strategy…
What did Sata tell us he would do apart from the 90 day theorem?
hahaha this is a problem i find with HH, why just critise the govt of the day and not why not give a solution. it’s either HH does not have one or just opens his mouth for the sake of it. People will take you serious if you can actually offer a better way to manage the system Mr educated HH.
#7Kantanshi  Observer .This government will not solve the mealie meal prices if they insist on going about it the UNIP way.The catalyst to this problem remains the SI Shamenda put into law -no amount of FRA maize will reduce the price of wunga unless we reduce the millers wage bill which was increased by almost 100% in some cases and that is just salaries and wages then add leave pay ,overtime ,gratuity etc that go withincreased wages- no sane miller will peg the price at CNP’s price and survive!!!.But does CNP know that he has reverse the SI and start afresh.The answer is ‘no’.So the circus goes on!!!
@iceberg during rain season there is always a margin increase in mili mil chana. The milliers buy maize from peasant farmers at a cheaper price than the government because they able to pay immediately as opposed to the FRA where one is made to wait, they then stock the maize and increase the price of milie meal and letter blame the FRA for not supplying them with enough maize. they know they can only cash on during this season when there virtually no maize on the market. I have worked in milling industry boss.
dont reduce price. we want riots on the copperr belt pipo who dont lima yet they want to iti.
There is no shortage of beef, because there is good management system…. HH supplies enough.
Mushota find time to read Frantz Fanon’s book “Black Skin White Masks” maybe it will help you understand who you are. I have travelled to all the continents of this world and what I have learnt is that people have different eating habbits and eat different foods. That does not make them less beings. Actually Mushota you are cursing yourself by insulting your origins. You have committed culture succide. You might die soon and be burried in Zambia under Zambian culture. If you do not have a child they will even put a piece if charcoal in your backside to rest in peace.
HH, DO U KNOW WHY FOOD PRICES ARE HIGH? SOUTH AFRICA WHICH USED TO SUPPLY MAIZE TO CONGO HAS NO MAIZE, KENYA HAS NO MAIZE, MALAWI, BOTSWANA, ZIM,ALL THESE COUNTRIES ARE COMING HERE FOR MAIZE. NO MATTER WAT THE GVT DOES, PRICES WILL BE HIGH BECOZ OF DEMAND. YOU CAN NOT SAY THE GVT HAS FAILED PLEASE. EVEN IF HH WAS IN POWER THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED.
Hahahahahahahaha! This is the most useless and baseless argument of the day. If you have been following trends in the agricultural sector you will remember that a good amount of maize from the previous harvest had gone to waste and destroyed. What this meant was that there was a deficit in the reserves that needed to be offset. But without taking stock government put a ceiling on how much maize to buy from the farmers without attaching other measures such as regulating exports by both itself and private individuals. More so it’s not all millers that are getting maize from FRA and these have to operate commercially. There are many other factors I can add to show you that its not just about issuing instructions to millers but taking serious long term strategic decisions by govt.
HH is politicking just like most of you bloggers who think HH is better than Sata. Respect Zambian’s choice whether bad or good. You chose HH and he lost and will still keep on losing until he gives up. A good politician will give alternatives and not just yap like galu atase under 5. Mabisi man, look how angry he still is. Ala you will age with envy, especially that you were showing off that you are young. I remember how you were kicking to show that you are young. AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH, teapa bane aging disgracefully.
are you menstruating? your brain is stained
Why worry about Mushota’s sentiments? She is entitled to her opinion which you bloggers MUST respect. I can tell most of you are envious of her achievement and choice of a husband. She will choose what to eat, say, marry etc, It is her choice, please leave her alone.
But when she makes her opinion public it surely attract a response of some kind. After all we are providing our opinions within our right.
Dull chaps! HH says the mealie -prices are high due to incompetent management of the marketing system! That in itself is a solution! You get back to the foundations and straighten out the marketing system….but because you are dull it will be difficulty for you to see even when a ‘leakage’ is given.let’s leave the syndrome of ‘Napoleon is always right’ and look at issues objectively.
Your comment is very matured, we need more people of your calibre & Zambia will be a better place. ” Napolion is always right mentality” Pf mentality, politics of the belly, no normal person can continue supporting Sata unless the greedy!
uyu mushota the bemba girl, azavuta… anyway thats how bembas tend to thinks when they get alittle abit of education and exposure
90 percent the time I find it hard to understand whether HH is just being political or objective whenever he speaks against something.
@Bwalya chiselema ulicipuba, why don’t you ask your wife that stupid question. Cakukalipa because you support HH who has no vision for this country. He has only a vision for you and Tongaland. To hell with HH, go and hang.
KA GELO, you are an ***** & a tribalist! Why do you always bring tribal issues on matters that are very critical to the people of Zambia? HH is taking about the factors that have lead to maize shotages in the country & you are bring the only leason your president Ukwa has taught you,”tribalism”. Stop reducing Zambia to your tribe whatever your tribe is.
its good you have got the message b.itch you just yap anyhow especially when you are on your Ps you tribalist fool
People do not loose your breath, Mushota is a name of a Pamtop (small computer) progrsmmed to insult Africans. It will one day crash and you will no more hear of it.
HH has no clue about maize and mealie meal pricing. He is on record asking PF government to increase the purchasing price of maize from farmers even when Zambia already pays way above the international price. Imagine if he was listened to, the price would now be worse than what he is complaining about. No wonder some people call him ‘Crying Baby’ and another says he belongs to bunch of complainants. Ask him why he delays paying his workers their meagre salaries. He is a misfit in politics, hence he has destryed UPND (once UP aNd now Down).
HH has finally smiled and he looks like Mr. Ibu.
Mushota i am a Zambian living in the UK,trust me i can not exchange Nshima for anything, dont you see that our food is heather than what we find here, guys lets no pretend as if we are better of than people home or we know it all,
Regardless of what i see or eat here i am a proud Zambian and i cant change my food or culture, are you saying God was wrong by giving us the food we have.
I drop a leave a response when I especially enjoy a article on a site or I have something to contribute to the conversation.
Usually it is triggered by the fire displayed in the article I read.
And on this post Zambia : High Mealie-meal prices due to incompetent management
of maize marketing system-HH. I was excited enough to drop a thought
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