President Hakainde Hichilema took time out of his busy schedule to engage with fellow citizens in the heart of Lusaka’s Central Business District. Strolling along the bustling Cairo Road and making a stop at the ShopRite stores, the President had the opportunity to connect with everyday Zambians, gaining firsthand insights into their concerns and aspirations.
The citizens welcomed this unexpected encounter with their President, with many expressing their appreciation for the administration’s efforts to reduce the cost of essential commodities, particularly mealie meal, through initiatives such as the Zambia National Service. President Hichilema’s commitment to improving the economic conditions of the nation resonated with the people he met during his walkabout.
In his brief interaction with the public, President Hichilema emphasized his determination to steer the country’s economic trajectory in the right direction. He reassured the citizens that his government would spare no effort, within the means available, to work for the well-being of all Zambians.
However, the President underlined that the task at hand requires unity and collaboration from every citizen. He called on the people to embrace a culture of hard work, as it is a principle rooted in the teachings of the Bible.
Waste of time not different from his predecessor….at least him didn’t promise anything and admitted he had no plans. Nombo is anaza
Don’t abandon Chagwa now. You are behaving Tayali like….lol. PF and Chagwa are your guys.
We also mustnt forget FTJ Chiluba’s visits to Nandos in the same road. Perhaps HH sees that it worked as Chiluba re-entered State House
Self-deception. Had he gone there before the vendors were removed he’d have seen the real mood of the Zambians. Let him extend these impromptu visits to Chibolya, John Laing and Kanyama Mutantabantu as that’ll give a clear picture. Let him also allow opposition parties to hold public meetings. Otherwise he’s talking nonsense. Ayopa nji mambala?
In all those places you have mentioned, shoprite has stores there. So people are buying ZNS mealie meal.
FRA is now buying maize at K320 per 50kg while some millers are at K400. The reason is that there’s no maize on the market. FRA has very few stocks and Mtolo is talking about winter maize when we’re now at the beginning of the rain season. FISP has only been distributed in one region which is prone to poor rainfall. Whatever HH is doing can’t solve the mealie meal problem. He’s just wasting our time. Brace for hard times ahead.
Please explain when ZNS, Correctional Services, Prisons, etc. has done anything sustainable or viable in the past… you will soon see this wont work or last..
They took my father for 20 months Military service then failed to sustain the project after three intakes-kikikikikiki
He has suddenly come out of his hideout after a conspicuous absence from the Agricultural Show grounds treats to position himself for Independence Day celebrations. Welcome back.
Meanwhile, Vintas Shopping Centre, in Lusaka’s Chalala, has no mealie meal.
How does looking at bags of mealie meal solve their high pricing that people are complaining about? These jobs without a job description!!
Better still, how does a selfie with a ShopRite madam followed by strolling a pram filled with 3 m/m bags help solve the commodity scarcity?
Let all millers come up with ZNS prices.
Let private traders also sell at these prices.
What do you mean “Let”? Its a money economy the supplier determines the price. In this case the supplier is government-hoping to disturb market forces but clearly failing
#Moto
Tell your friends, ZNS intervention is a temporally measure. So you think in your right frame of mind GRZ must compete with private businesses? Do you know why we don’t have Zcbc or Niec TODAY? Forgotten that Antelope, National, Chimanga Changa milling etc. were State owned? Why are they plc’s TODAY?
Proactive and sustainable measures must be to subsidise producers, farmers, and not consumers. Happily #Tikki, a moderate and #Spaka, a fanatical extremist both understand that too well.
The Maize Problem in Our Country: Blaming the IMF or Government
When a part of the chain breaks, the entire system becomes vulnerable.
1. The government has failed our graduating agronomists by not employing them. This has resulted in average maize yields of only 1.7 tons per hectare, while the potential could reach 10 tons. There is no one to teach farmers in remote areas new agronomic practices, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL) lacks the necessary manpower. The government’s arrogance in telling agronomists to engage in farming themselves has led to some of them achieving yields of 10 tons, far surpassing the national average of 1.7 tons. However, it’s unrealistic to expect agronomists alone to produce the 2 million metric tons of maize required for the country.
2. The government has also let down the farmers through the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) by underpricing maize and discontinuing the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP). The input costs for farmers not on FISP, including fertilizers, weed killers, seeds, pesticides, and fungicides, are exorbitant. These farmers are then expected to sell their produce to FRA at a lower price, even though they did not benefit from the FISP subsidy. As a result, many farmers have stopped maize production, further reducing the country’s overall output.
3. The government has adversely affected millers by attempting to undercut them with the ZNS Eagles Mealie meal. The Minister advised millers to buy maize directly from farmers, most of whom are not part of FISP. Since non-FISP farmers won’t sell at a loss to FRA, millers are forced to purchase maize at a higher cost, increasing their mealie meal production expenses.
4. Consumers are partly to blame as well, as they often blindly support the government and believe in political propaganda. When the chain breaks above, consumers are left suffering. They mock agronomy graduates, not realizing the importance of their work. They criticize farmers for being peasant farmers and encourage them to buy their own fertilizers, without considering the increased production costs. They accuse millers of selfishness, not understanding that their production costs have also risen, just like those of farmers. When millers go out of business, shortages occur, affecting everyone. It’s time for consumers to realize the consequences of their actions.
Government whether with the cohesion of IMF has f all of us.
Hi we as milliners can’t come up with that and price unless the government reduces the charges that they charge us on company tax, and also if they reduce the cost of Zesco units and deseal and petrol because those are the costs that we have to deal with which makes us to increase the price of mealie meal inorder for us to be able to manage those costs mostly the company tax costs.
Hi we as milliners can’t come up with that ZNS price unless the government reduces the charges that they charge us on company tax, and also if they reduce the cost of Zesco units and deseal and petrol because those are the costs that we have to deal with which makes us to increase the price of mealie meal inorder for us to be able to manage those costs mostly the company tax costs. Remember that ZNS does not pay any tax that is why they are able to sell very cheaper mealie meal than us private company milliers
This is the worst ever chipante-pante govt ever to have ruled Zambia. If you have the live conscious, don’t even seek re-election in 2026.
The level of ignorance on the subject at hand is so deep to say the least. maize pricing is determined by the floor price that is set by the government. Due to this the poor farmer has no final say on how he/she is going to sell are produce to FRA. The crooked millers buys the maize at a low price and manipulates the meal meal price using their equally crooked association. The individual miller is not allowed to sell is product at he/her price of choice. now where is the free market here. I totally support what government is doing and it is working. check the price of other millers now.
What do you think of us Farmers – a charitable organisation? Try a Lima two Lima of maize you will understand why we feel marginalised.
Government has f the Agronomist
Government has f the farmers
Government has f the millers
Government has f the consumers
It’s as simple as that! The real chipante-pante governance, ati they are now agro loans at 13% interest. For most scale farmers to be profitable their breakeven yields should be 50 x 50kg bags of maize, but on average most get 30 x 50kg bags below the breakeven yield. There will be carrying next year in May after getting loans…