Monday, December 23, 2024

Why is the Government mute – Matongo

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Pemba Member of Parliament David Matongo (UPND) raised a point of order yesterday in parliament by asking if it was right for the Government to remain mute in the face of the escalating prices of mealie meal.

“Is the government in order not to inform the House on the unstable mealie-meal, fuel prices and late distribution of fertiliser when the planting season is about to start. Are they in order?” Mr Matongo said.

Mr Matongo also wondered why the pump price of fuel in Zambia had remained the same when the global crude oil prices were falling.

Deputy speaker of  the National Assembly Mutale Nalumango said that the point of order raised by Mr Matongo was important and therefore deserved an explanation from the Government.

Ms Nalumango has ordered the Government to explain the escalating prices of mealie meal and why prices of fuel have remained static when global oil prices are falling.

Ms Nalumango gave the directive in Parliament yesterday .

“The relevant ministries should issue statements either this week or early next week. These are issues of national importance and therefore the point is relevant,” Mrs Nalumango said.

79 COMMENTS

  1. tell them, coz a year might end without saying any thing. they think to rule is to seat in State House and drink mineral water…

  2. Please RB inject some new life. waiting for press conference. Fire a few guys especially Ben Kapita, Shaka and appoint new VP. ofcourse not AKa, VJ

  3. They are still confused as to why the educated dont like them.Maestro,Sarah and V.Concept will tell you the answer just wait for them.

  4. ‘Pemba Member of Parliament David Matongo (UPND) raised a point of order yesterday in parliament by asking if it was right for the Government to remain mute in the face of the escalating prices of mealie meal. “Is the government in order not to inform the House on the unstable mealie-meal, fuel prices and late distribution of fertiliser when the planting season is about to start. Are they in order?” Mr Matongo said.’

    This is why the mighty UPND remains the ONLY focussed party on developing Zambia in unity and purpose for they discuss ISSUES and not persons. Viva president Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND for 2011 GRZ forming.

  5. Before the elections everything looked rosey, with promises of lower fuel prices. I just don’t understand why we Zambians fall in the traps of politicians unless of course the elections were rigged.

  6. #4, SATA is my man, thank you very much on your “They are still confused as to why the educated dont like them.Maestro,Sarah and V.Concept will tell you the answer just wait for them.”

    May be we three (‘Maestro,Sarah and V.Concept’) must consider standing for MP in 2011 under the mighty UPND in the CB Province.

    May you have a blessed day.

  7. The people in GOVT don’t even know where to start from. Some still celebrating as they know that they are going to get more more richer.

  8. #9, Zambian in Norway, you wrote ‘Before the elections everything looked rosey, with promises of lower fuel prices. I just don’t understand why we Zambians fall in the traps of politicians unless of course the elections were rigged’.

    On your ‘why’, my attempt to ansswer it is:

    “What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know, its what we know for sure; that just ain’t so” by Mark Twain.

  9. they are thinking and calculating how to solve and tackle the problem………viva RB tell your boys to do the right thing at the right time………MMD…..

  10. i have heard of any annoucement on a press conference. kaya bwezani.
    twafa najala. sugar and mealie meal distributed in vulamukoko now finished. tizaja maplastics. i told you village concept. u gave me only 13pin votes. muzanya

  11. Mealie-meal prices
    The high prices of mealie-meal are really worrying. And these high mealie-meal prices can be a serious source of instability. We remember what happened in 1986 when the prices of mealie-meal were raised beyond what most people felt they could meet. There were riots in Lusaka and on the Copperbelt. History should not be made to repeat itself.

  12. i havent heard of any annoucement on a press conference. kaya bwezani.
    twafa najala. sugar and mealie meal distributed in vulamukoko now finished. tizaja maplastics. i told you village concept. u gave me only 13pin votes. muzanya

  13. Am glad am so far away from all that nonsense in Zed but i feel sorry and sad for many Zambian facing hardships including members of my own family.

  14. Bloggers, Bwezani is on a vacation in Mfuwe with his precious Child thandi and grandchildren. Says he will only comment on the recent happenings when he comes back after a week or so…..

    Now get back to work

  15. Maestro you cant manage in CB cause you will be killed, look at where Kalusa is now but you can win in southern province or maybe ku balozi ku mungu and i still need the answer where is SARAH & V.CONCEPT? Takecare my brother cause PF is ruling indirectly.

  16. #31, Georgia Russia, you inquired “w(h)ere is magande…?”.’Finance Minister Ng’andu Magande says he is confident that Zambia will attain the seven percent Gross Domestic Product-GDP- target by the end of the year.Mr. Magande says it is possible to attain the target because people in the country are working hard.With particular reference to low diesel taxes, Mr. Magande says Zambia is on course to meeting the target.He was speaking in an interview with Muvi TV Business News.’

    Source: w w w . muvitv . c o m / news/ Nov2008/ 12thbnews1 . h t m l

  17. #32, … is my man, on your “Maestro you cant manage in CB cause you will be killed, look at where Kalusa is now but you can win in southern province or maybe ku balozi ku mungu and i still need the answer where is SARAH & V.CONCEPT?”, I think I need to campaign there in CB Prov. and not in SP because that is where real development needs to go for now. The SP is already developed and the might UPND is doing a great job there.

    CBP has had rhetoric only from unperforming PF MPs, but I need to take my technology and business skills there to improve the lives of Kaponyas per adventure they can start producing instead of looming around streets.

  18. The story of Bwalya’s arrest has made BBC – news dot bbc dot co dot uk. HH’s education has not made BBC

  19. You guys PF cadres trying to ferment an imaginary storm watch out. You are safe out there in diaspora whilst your relatives are the ones who will lose limbs. Be responsible. You lost and you want the whole nation to lose. Selfish chaps.

  20. # 9. The reason we are cheated all the time in Zambia is that very few people have any meaningful education. Most of us base our decisions about who to vote for on what we have been told. The false stories from the Mulongotis and the like are so interesting to the functional illiterate. Even Sata takes advantage of illiteracy to gain popularity.

    And many people have already been cheated by the inauguration speech which RB read that he means well for Zambia. That speech was prepared by someone else at Cabinet Office. RB only approved and read it. Its not like the acceptance speech given by Obama.

    And #14 its true there is a Press Conference tomorrow or on Friday

  21. # 9. The reason we are cheated all the time in Zambia is that very few people have any meaningful education. Most of us base our decisions about who to vote for on what we have been told. The false stories from the Mulongotis and the like are so interesting to the functional illiterate. Even Sata takes advantage of illiteracy to gain popularity.

    And many people have already been cheated by the inauguration speech which RB read that he means well for Zambia. That speech was prepared by someone else at Cabinet Office. RB only approved and read it. Its not like the acceptance speech given by Obama.

    And #14 its true there is a Press Conference tomorrow or on Saturday

  22. RB is in a dilemma, apparently which he put himself in after promising so many people positions. Read story on zamnet.zm on litunga against Aka or Sakwiba for veep. That is why it is taking long to announce cabinet. Maybe by tomorrow he would have finalized.

  23. #37. Anonymous, dont you worry for the Army Commander General Chisuzi is watching the situation carefully and will not disappoint Zambians for he warned already before the elections that he will not sit and watch anarchy override the harmony Zambia has been enjoying.

    If the Policemen are seemingly overpowered by the PF Cadres, the Zambia Army will take it up from there. Just wait and see.

    May God bless all Zambians and Zambia as a country.

  24. #40, hunter, I lkie this:

    “# 9. The reason we are cheated all the time in Zambia is that very few people have any meaningful education. Most of us base our decisions about who to vote for on what we have been told. The false stories from the Mulongotis and the like are so interesting to the functional illiterate. Even Sata takes advantage of illiteracy to gain popularity.”

    Indeed the Undereducated takes advantage of illiterates who can not reason but are brainwashed by his Imagebuilders.

  25. THE GOVT IS QUIET COZ THERE IS NO VISIBLE GOVT AT THE MOMENT EVERYONE IS UNCERTAIN ABOUT THEIR POSITIONS. WE TOLD YOU WE NEED VILLAGE CONCEPT IMWE ATI NO WE NEED TOWN CONCEPT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINING THERE IS ALOT MORE COMING RB KNOWS NOTHING THIS TIME HE IS DOZING

  26. Bwezani you are very dull.You are the first president who is dull in africa.Please dont let zambia down you old man atase.I think this is the end of zambia.

  27. Bwezani Banda if dont know you old man, let me tell you the truth.Tetamashimba, Mulongoti and the big mpuno chi shiKapwasha they will make more dull we know you are dull but yyou will be more dull chimudala.Think man dont let your self down.

  28. So M.H.mwaanga the only point that you have is education and nothing else do you think Zambians are going to eat education? Man talk about issues and not education.I believe that everyone on this blog is educated cause Kaponyas cant even waste time to be on the net.it is this allogance and boasting that is making hh not to be popular so change your strategy man

  29. Some patriotic UPND MPS already saw how the catholic church can incite division in the country.. Religion and politics make a very inflammable mixture..Even in the USA ministers of the gospel have conditions to which the abide in relation to politics..

  30. #49 Mwaanga is merely commenting on my point and I in turn was trying to give a reason why in Zambia we are cheated all the time. Its true that education is not the only thing there is to talk about. Everyone on the blog is educated quite ok but…..The importanace of education to the voters can never be over emphasised. An educated voter population is apt to make decisions objectively. I did argue that illiteracy makes Sata popular not out of malice. You recall that during the campaigns, Sata used to call HH an under five and yet KK was 40 when he became President and Chiluba was 49. A more educated voter population would have researched on this b4 rallying behind Sata in calling HH a baby

  31. UPND is trully tribal. If you read Chibamba Kanyama in the post on Tuesday, he confessed that had he voted, he would have voted for his tribesman!!!!
    RB cannot say anything so far because he is in Slumber. For the first time in Zambia we have a’sleeping’ president.
    Sata for Life!!!!

  32. Ba Sata is sick. Please chech him out at one of the local clinics/hospital in Lusaka. Thank Gid we wont have another another State House funeral

  33. nalimyebele that let sleeping dogs continue sleeping peacefully. now the whole country has joined in leaping from the sleep bounty.

  34. Economists on this blog, please explain to us why the prices are high or getting high. Us bloggers dont need to wait for politicians to tell us.

    1) Mealie meal prices – are the input costs going up e.g maize prices, transport. What actually goes into producing M/meal?
    2) Fuel prices – I guese Indeni is still processing old crude oil feedstock, bought when oil prices were high. One consignment normally takes 3 months. Now remember Indeni had shut down for maintenance. So lower prices may take long to come.
    3) Kwacha depreciation – I expect imports are now more expensive. ZMK has gained but not sufficiently.
    4 Credit crunch – likely that cost of borrowing has gone up. Check millers.

  35. #49, saviuor, I hope your issues has been handled well by ##
    53. your flag Hunter. If you are not satisfied with his/her answer on my behalf, call out.

  36. I was made to understand that before the elections, the price of maize went up to appease farmers both peasant and commercial (Rural voters, remember!).If these prices were inflated for political reasons to win an election, the struggle now is to bring the price down unless you have a subside to give to millers to cover the loss they are likely to incur if the price goes down. Without this subside (money was diverted to campaigning mind you)in NO way will the millers reduce the price of maize. I’m speculating as am not home to read all the papers and comments from key stakeholders to this game. Sad RB has no solution for something he allowed just to gain votes. Ukaimba ng’oma,ziba ngule.

  37. Kanshi where is the president? Obama who has yet to be inaugurated is doing more than this RB who was sworn in 2 hours after announcing he had “won” is he ready to rule ? I WONDER! OR has he DELIGATED RULING TO Teta! Bwafya!

  38. It is good to notice that our contributions on this Blog sometimes make sense to people like Sata my Man. My day was spoiled by Kaponyas who were making noice in Kitwe because of Priest Bwalya who was locked up. I do not call priest father because we have only one Father who is in heaven our Heavenly Father. We are pround of of our MPs they always raise serious issues in Parliament to make wake up those who are still dosing on duty. As for request for myself,Sarah and Mugungulu asparing as MPs for on CB in 2011, time will tell when we reorganise our party on CB. I may stand in Luena where I come from where i will face Hon. Milupi.

  39. 65# He is still pondering who to appoint VP and also pondering on how to make some changes especially on Nominated MPs who have no constituences.

  40. 31. Georgia Russia

    ” were is magande,i thot he said the enconomic crisis wont affect zambia at all ”

    I think they were playing word games and parcing between ‘financial crisis’ and ‘recession’. The mortgage crisis did not hit Zambia or Africa, but the recession that results from it certainly will.

    We have already seen a reduction in the price of copper, which is basically in tandem with the strengthening of the US dollar against world currencies.

    We need to turf out these neoliberals and get in some old fashioned demand side economists.

  41. “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it” – Upton Sinclair

  42. I am tending to like these upnd guys you people, I love their intelligence and the issues they bring in the house very sensible. I wish they should just remain in the opposition even if they do not win elections because they are so vital to our societies. Actually, Southerners have performed well in the opposition that these noise makers. Can you imagine these pf guys are so lazy, in the name of rioting they are just stealing bags of melie meal from Indian shops. These guys are are an embarassment imwe bantu sure. Thats why we won them in the last election, they were busy stealing in compounds instead of voting for my rb.

  43. I wish Matongo can also ask govt to explain how just before the just ended by election Zambia experienced massive meali meal price reduction. I think the recent increase in melie meal prices should not be analysed in isolation. These chaps are crooks. When things are in their favour, they say we are in a free market economy and when the same market economy they ignorantly defend turns against them they blame the opposition.

  44. Let the president do something before people go beseck. If nothing is done we might be spending over K100,000. for a 25kg bag. How many zambian can afford that.

  45. #64 Sarah Jr.

    I agree with you. RB increased the maize prices in October so he could win elections. Now these high prices have become higher input costs to millers. Millers are passing these costs to consumers. Perfect business sense.

    RB and all those who got excited when RB increased maize prices should know that they are reaping what they sowed.

    The opposition are dull too. They should have warned the electorate to expect higher mealie meal prices when RB increased maize prices.

  46. Now we all know that Peter Cottan was in league with the Devil when he reduced the price artificially.Maybe we should stone him and show all those conniving forgeiners that if they step on our toes we shall take them outside and shoot them at dawn!ATASE

  47. Micro economics build up slowly to erode the macro economic indicators. Whatever could have gained so far has potential to be lost in the current instability of prices. The indicator is our inflation. Keep enjoying wacthing it as as it heads back to heaven while leading the economy to hell. The economist

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