Stakeholders should come on board to help resolve escalating mealie meal prices – Trevor Mwiinde

United Party for National Development – UPND Deputy National Chairman Trevor Mwiinde says various stakeholders should come on board and move in one direction with the government as this will help to address the issue of the escalating prices of mealie meal that need to be urgently resolved.

Mr Mwiinde explained that ideally, in a free market economy products, goods or services are self regulated, and there are many connections including administration at the Food Reserve Agency – FRA which needs to help the government by offloading certain levels of commodities such as maize to both well established and balanced millers and the upcoming millers as this will help to mitigate the high cost of mealie meal.

He further explained that the promises which where made by the UPND championed the campaign as they are still confident that they are on the right track to ensure that negatives including the price of mealie meal will be addressed and will soon be a thing of the past especially if at all, all the stakeholders come on board to move in one direction without anybody remaining behind.

“Because as politicians we are aware of certain vendors are trying to increase the prices of mealie meal,” he said
“Before we generalise anything lets first segment these communities, am aware that in Misisi compound, Chibolya, Kanyama, Mandevu, Chawama, Chainda, Bauleni to name a few, if you would want to compare and talk about the mealie meal prices and scarcity of the commodity to a poor Zambian, am well aware that their are young men and girls who are even going to school on an empty stomach, it did not even need for the International Monetray Fund – IMF boss to come and predict that in Zambia over two (2) million people are likely to be directly or indirectly be affected by hunger, it needed a leader who understands and can prioritise agriculture above all,” he said

“I did mentioned that the Zambians did vote with confidence for President Hakainde Hichilema to make sure that there is economic liberation in this country, he was not put in office to try and play politics of supporting one group of people while disadvantaging others, we support the UPND because we believe that the social-economic policies are pro-poor and it is for that reason that we as youth leaders are advocating for more to be done,” he added

“One of the key reasons why people change government is because of hunger which can change someone’s mindset as a hungry man has no loyalty because when one hasn’t eaten and is being told things which they are not supposed to hears instead of the truth, I do understand this plight,” he said

Mr Mwiinde has appealed to the board chairperson at the Food Reserve Agency to look into the plight of their workers and operations and ensure that it harmonises and mitigates the much talked about mealie meal prices in the country.
And when responding to the allegations that over 700 workers at the Food Reserve Agency where laid off, Mr Mwiinde stated that if at all there are any such differences at the Agency with either the workers or anybody, he hopes that the these differences can be amicably be resolved within the shortest possible time as their Party does not believe in escalating confusion as people cannot be able to flourish oin confusion.

“If it is prudent that any of the stakeholders within their management system exceeded their authority beyond their mandate, I think there is enough space for the Minister of Agriculture and the Permanent Secretary to take due course, am not giving them instructions but am simply speaking as a citizen in respectful way,” he said

Mr Mwiinde has since appealed to the Food Reserve Agency leadership especially the Board Chairperson who steers most of the decisions to try by all means to do the right thing for the country.