Finance Minister Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu has said Zambia is making progress in the implementation of fiscal consolidation measures.

He has reiterated the Government’s steadfastness in implementing austerity measures; effectively managing debt; and, ensuring that the Economic Stabilisation and Growth Programme [ESGP] remains on course in line with the country’s stabilisation and growth aspirations.

Dr. Ng’andu has said results of the registered progress will continue to be shared with the public on a quarterly basis.

The Minister was sharing his reflections on some of the issues of critical importance that are on his table. He called for all players in the economic sector to pull in one direction and reiterated his resolve to tackle the tasks given to him by President Edgar Lungu such as returning the economy to fiscal health, achieving sustained fiscal consolidation and registering growth.

He said among the measures taken to register progress in the implementation of austerity measures is the stoppage of commercial loan contraction; re-scoping of existing non-critical projects by redesigning them in order to trim their estimated costs; and, the on-going identification and compilation of data on projects that will be stopped or postponed.

Dr. Ng’andu further said the recently approved supplementary budget by parliamentary in which figures were realigned within the total estimates for the current budget [approved by parliament in December, 2018] is a clear demonstration of the effort that the Government is making to realign expenditure and apply resources to priority programmes.

He stressed that the recent approval of the supplementary budget by Parliament gives the treasury authority to realign expenditure from non-priority to priority programmes, within the scope of the total budget approved for 2019.

“We did not request for additional resources from Parliament,” Dr. Ng’andu assured, and added that, “within the context of expenditure realignment, there are certain activities that we will sustain like those related to education, health, social welfare and other essential services.”

Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo believes that opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema is conniving with milling companies to hike the price of mealie meal.

But Zambia National Farmers Union President Jervis Zimba says linking Mr Hichilema to the mealie-meal crisis will not help solve the problem.

According to people close to Mr Katambo, the Minister says he has evidence to link Mr Hichilema to the mealie meal price hikes.

“Minister Katambo is convinced that HH is the one behind this whole thing saying he wants to use the mealie meal situation to make the PF government unpopular. The Minister says HH is hoping the PF will go out of government because of mealie meal after a public revolt,” the sources revealed.

The sources who work with Mr Katambo at the Ministry of Agriculture Headquarters revealed that the Minister has been going around claiming that Mr Hichilema is one of the major investors in most of the big milling plants in the country.

They disclosed that Mr Katambo is also accusing Mr Hichilema of conspiring with rich commercial farmers to hold Maize and starve the milling plants in order to cause an artificial shortage.

“The Minister is telling everyone that HH is an investor in these milling plants such as Simba Milling and that he is now using his business muscle to trigger price hikes.”

They added, “ The Minister believes the commercial farmers who are very influential are in the pocket of HH, he tells them what to do and they listen. So as far as the Minister is concerned, this whole mealie meal crisis is HH’s making.”

The sources added that the Minister is convinced that Mr Hichilema has a hand in the crisis following reports of Mealie meal shortages in Monze.

“The Minister has come out very strongly against that video that emerged from Monze with people fighting to buy bags of mealie meal in a supermarket, he believes all that is the work of HH and the UPND.”

But who asked for a comment, ZNFU President Jervis Zimba said linking Mr Hichilema to the mealie meal crisis is not the solution.

“For me i don’t care what they said about HH, what is important is the Farmer should get the right price of the crop. The Ministry should stabilize the market by removing price controls on the Maize,” Mr Zimba said.

Justice Minister Given Lubinda has said that the Constitution cannot be amended based on mere public or social media suggestions. Mr. Lubinda has asked Zambians who wish to air their views and opinions on the Constitution amendment process to direct them to Parliament.

Mr Lubinda said that Parliament has given the longest period for considerations and people must take the opportunity.

Mr. Lubinda said that the government is also constructing more prisons to address congestion in Correctional facilities adding that President Lungu will soon commission Correctional facilities in Mwembeshi.

Mr Lubinda was during the commemorations of International prayer day for inmates at Good Shepard Catholic Church in Lusaka.

And Good Shepard Parish Priest Mark Mawere called on Zambians to be United and accept each other’s differences.

Fr Mawere said inmates saving a sentence must use the period to reflect because any citizen who breaks the law must face consequences.

Meanwhile, the Government Parliamentary Chief Whip Brian Mundubile has said that government will not allow minority grouping to derail the submissions on the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Bill Number 10.

Mr. Mundubile,who is also Patriotic Front chairperson for legal, said that the amendment of Bill number 10 requires objectivity and constructive deliberations.

He observed that there is need for people to look beyond politics and contribute positively towards the amendment process.

Mr Mundubile said this during a press briefing held in Mporokoso District. Mr Mundubile, who is also Mporokoso Member of Parliament, explained the need for people to come together to dialogue further on possible constitutional amendments through the Parliamentary Select committee.

And, He said the National Dialogue Forum (NDF) was widely consultative and represented the majority Zambians.

Meanwhile, New Congress Party President Peter Chanda praised President Edgar Lungu for spearheading a people-driven constitution.

Mr. Chanda noted that the amendment of Bill Number 10 of the constitution will enhance the growth of the country’s political atmosphere.

In random interviews in selected towns of Ndola, Chingola, Mufulira and Chililabombwe, the residents feared that Copperbelt might face mealie meal shortages if smuggling is not curtailed.

Evaristo Mbewe, 51, a resident of Chingola said he has never experienced the scale of smuggling of mealie meal than what is currently happening.

Mr Mbewe, a small scale miner said the Provincial Administration led by Minister Japhen Mwakalombe and Permanent Secretary Bright Nundwe have lamentably failed to control smuggling.

“I have lived here for more than 42 years. Yes, even under Kaunda we had smuggling but what I am seeing today is something I have never seen before. Bags of mealie meal are leaving this Province in the night and in the day using illegal paths on bicycles, wheelbarrows and trucks. The situation is totally out of control,” Mr Mbewe said.

And Mary Nondo of Ndola wondered why it had to take Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo to come and summon Millers on the Copperbelt over the smuggling issue.

“This goes to show that the people we have here on the Copperbelt are sleeping. Why does it have to take Mr Kampyongo to take steps to arrest the situation? Where was the P.S all this time when mealie meal was flying out of the Province?” she questioned.

Ms. Nondo further claimed that some leaders in the Patriotic Front on the Copperbelt could be benefitting from the smuggling cartels.
“They are failing to act before they are benefiting but is not fair but it is us the ordinary people suffering. The prices have gone up too much because of this same smuggling.”

Meanwhile, a youth of Mufulira has suggested that the Zambian government and their DRC counterpart should enter into a formalized government to government deal over mealie meal exports.

“We saw this happen when Bowman Lusambo was Minister for Copperbelt, he negotiated with the Ministry of Agriculture and the regional government in Katanga and Zambian millers started exporting legally into the Congo and that brought down the level of smuggling, we even saw then Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya touring Kasumbalesa in the company of Mr Lusambo to ensure that the exports were moving smoothly,” said Peter Chipulu.

He added, “without a formal export deal, we are afraid all the mealie meal here will be wiped out. Threats on Millers by Mr Kampyongo will not work.”

Chipulu also blamed the Provincial leadership for failing to protect the interest of the people of the Copperbelt.

“They are in those office but they are clueless on what needs to be done. Both the Minister and the P.S have just been watching this situation escalate, they cannot even do night patrols the way Bowman Lusambo and P.S Sikwela used to do. I remember in their efforts to control smuggling, Bowman Lusambo and his P.S were caught up in gun fire around 01: Hours at the boarder, that is the commitment we are looking for on this issue and not just sitting in those comfortable offices drinking coffee.”

Zambians were assured by the PF government that they had taken measures two years ago to reduce the price of mealie meal through the acquisition of solar-driven hammer mills. We were assured at the time that the price of a twenty-five-kilogram bag of roller meal wouldn’t be more than K40. Nothing of the aforementioned happened. The price of staple food has skyrocketed to levels that are not affordable to an ordinary Zambian.

The PF government through the minister of information has woken up from slumber and issued a very depressing and uninspiring statement on the escalating mealie meal prices. It’s important to note that we as UPND have been advising and warning the government over the catastrophic situation we shall face as a result of the poor agricultural policies.

The situation is being aggravated by the failure of FRA to purchase enough maize to meet the national strategic reserve of 500, 000 metric tonnes. The aforesaid failure by the FRA has made the nation to be food insecure. As a result of the escalating mealie meal prices, the hunger situation has entered the bedroom of the urban dwellers.

It, therefore, follows that the government has to put urgent measures to address this unfortunate situation. We await to see how this flip flop government shall address this disaster taking into account the severe financial distress facing the country as a result of the poor governance by the PF.

Today’s Scripture

“He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength [causing it to multiply and making it to abound].”
(Isaiah 40:29, AMPC)

He Increases Your Strength

In the Scripture, Joseph went through seasons of difficulty. He was rejected by his family, sold into slavery, lied about, mistreated, abandoned, falsely accused of a crime and thrown in prison. But through it all, Joseph never gave up. He kept pressing through and doing the right thing even though the wrong thing kept happening. Psalm 105:18 tells us that as Joseph lay in prison in those chains of iron, his soul entered into that iron. In that prison, Joseph developed supernatural strength, perseverance that no one could take away. There are some lessons you can only learn in the dark places.

If you are going through difficulty today, God wants to increase your strength. He wants to increase your power to overcome. He wants to make your inner man as strong as steel. When you keep standing, keep believing and keep doing the right thing, you are opening yourself to God’s supernatural strength. That’s when you know you are growing in Him. Be strong today. Keep pressing forward because God is at work increasing strength in you so that you can live in victory in every area of your life!

A Prayer for Today

“Father in heaven, today I surrender every difficulty to You. I release the questions, hurts, and frustrations. I choose to trust You and do the right thing. Increase Your strength in me so that I can live in the victory You have in store for me in Jesus’ name. Amen.”