Government says it will not tolerate lawlessness by citizens who opt to protest as a way of airing their grievances.
Chief government spokesperson Fackson Shamenda says it is open for dialogue with distributors and traders in Tujilijili so that they can find a lasting solution to the lost jobs and capital investment.
This was after Distributors and traders in the banned alcohol sachets commonly known as Tujiljili staged a protest at the Patriotic Front secretariat calling on government to lift the ban.
Mr. Shamenda has called on the distributors to come forward and dialogue if their grievances are over job losses and business investment
Meanwhile, despite the recent ban on the sale of alcoholic sachets, commonly known as Tujilijili, traders at Ndola’s Kantolomba Market have defied the order and are selling the highly intoxicating brand.
A check by the Sunday Times found that the sale of Tujilijili at Kantolomba Market had continued. Some traders expressed ignorance over the ban while others said they wanted to clear the remaining stocks by selling them.
[pullquote]“This is a draw back, money from this business was our only source of income but we have heard of the ban, so I just want to clear the remaining sachets so that I could recover the money I used to order the Tujilijili,” he said.[/pullquote]
At some bars, it was business-as-usual over the sale of the sachets as a variety of the spirits continued to be displayed on stands. Among the brands displayed were Johnny’s Brandy, Royal Touch, ZedPineapple, Premium Pineapple and Officers Cane.
Charles Musonda, one of the traders, described the ban as a drawback because selling the highly potent spirits was his only source of income.
“This is a draw back, money from this business was our only source of income but we have heard of the ban, so I just want to clear the remaining sachets so that I could recover the money I used to order the Tujilijili,” he said.
Another trader, Mwansa Mukuka, said news of the ban had affected them because Tujilijili was popular, especially among the youth and profitable to the traders. Mr Mukuka said since the Government had declared the ban, they would follow the law and stop trading in the commodity as soon as they cleared their remaining stocks.
[pullquote]“Selling of this alcohol is my only source of income. These things are popular, I tell you, and it’s big time business for us here. I hope this ban is not true,” he said.[/pullquote]
“This ban will affect our business. These sachets are so popular and sell fast, now we have no choice but to follow the law,” he said. Keston Musukwa expressed ignorance over the ban, adding that the Tujilijili sales were still high and profitable.
Mr Musukwa said he had several boxes of the sachets and would continue trading in the commodity because he had not heard any news about the ban. “I haven’t heard of the ban. In fact, I’m hearing this from you, that there’s a ban on the trade of Tujilijili but for me, it’s business asusual,” he said.
He said ever since he started trading in the commodity, he had made profits that helped him earn a living and support his family. “Selling of this alcohol is my only source of income. These things are popular, I tell you, and it’s big time business for us here. I hope this ban is not true,” he said.
[Times of Zambia]
….and when are you banning smoking?
You could have dealt with this smartly, people only consume those coz of lack of money to buy lagers or wines. If you put more money in their pockets (by job creation with standard conditions of service)most of them will start taking expensive beer and jiliz market would collapse. This is an ingenious way of putting unwanted merchandise out of business. Banning wont solve the problem, they will be trading in secrecy.
try to think outside the box.you’re so shallow minded.
Patrick what do you know about thinking outside the box?? Is banning jiliz thinking outside the box?? People have invested in jiliz and scrapping jiliz out with immediate effect when all along it was legal means someone aint thinking properly.
Nkandu Luo said they consulted widely before banning tujilili, now one wonders who they really consulted if they are now willing to dialogue over the issue.
manufactures are suppose to dialogue with govt,on packaging ,alcohol content and price, the beer is jst too cheap even sch going children can afford it.
why the ban?……..tulekeleni naifwe fwe ncushi tuleumfwako abanwa castle ifyo bomfwa……
Since tujilijili is so popular, this ban will just fuel a huge and thriving black market and the govt has no capacity to deal with this illegal scourge.
The ban was ill-conceived, rushed and without due considerations for the consequences.
#6 Is correct, prohibition does not work and will only go underground which will have implications for those who imbibe the illegal drinks as they will be manufactured under dubious circumstances and govt will reduce a sizeable chunk of govt revenue due to loss of duty as well as stretch the already meagre resources of the police.
Zambian !!! I don’t know how I can describe you how are against the ban of Tujilijili. What kind of pipo are you. The way you are contributing towards the banning is like calling someone to poison you because you want job or food but after poisoning you die . What is your profit?
I smell a big fat dead rat…The government is just sucking up the higher powers..the multi corporates who has seen diminishing profits due the popular and affordable tujilijili..
You and your exaggerated sense of smell…any who go ahead and smell away..the ban is a good move.
Which dialogue now, is gvt trying to change goal post over this ban? Decision was passed for once which dialogue now.This is sucking now
After the flip finally came the flop!
planning is an issue here……
Looks like a massive U-Turn is just around the corner
Just change ur minds bane. Minbus drivers the biggest culplits cannt fail to buy the jones in those small bottles.
I thought the ban was for production…. importation AND consumption of this illicit beer. So the issue of saying selling the stocks falls by the way side. Well done Government and please keep it up. These hooligans masquerading as traders must not create the impression that selling tujilijili is the only source of income. They are many Zambians engaged in legal and worthwhile business and looking after their children. Epo mpelele.
Wadya kudala live ewe,consultation for what?
What were you doing before Tujijliljili came on the market? were you not surving? some of you parents have never worked to any company but you grew up without killing pipo. What is so special about Tujijlilijli? TO consumers Chibuku is still cheap if you cant afford castle. Go for chibuku even those who are selling if you see that selling beer is the sorce of income shift to chibuku
Then the Marijuna / weed traders need to dialogue with government too.
What were those “traders” used to sell before Tujilijili?
HOW ABOUT “GOVERNMENT IS OPEN TO DIALOGUE WITH DRINKERS OF TUJILIJILI”?
Smoking should be banned in public places, bars, night clubs etc. I went to a bar and this guy sitting next to me just lit a cigarette and started smoking. I had to leave. I simply cant go out in Zed, rampant smoking everywhere. For a country with almost non existence health care, this is dangerous.
What is it about Banning doesn’t this selfsame government not understand…this is not negotiable, move on and let this issue fade away.. no where in the world do the sale liquor in a ghastly plastic sachet…moreover you can’t regulate the end retailer who happens to be an illegal street vendor who is in for a quick buck irrespective of whom they sell to and the plastic itself contributes to littering the cities. If you want to curb down on under-age drinking start here…what kind of a “Christian Nation” is this?
Let’s encourage businesses and entrepreneurship that contributes positively to our society not this utter rubbish.
If the churches marched in support for this ban, these Indian traders and manufucturs would be mute. A Christian nation with mute churches cannot move forward. This is whenso called church leaders should speak.
With Zambians they so called Christian Nation notion only applies when something as remote to their society as Gay Rights issue is raised.