Copperbelt Province Minister, Elisha Matambo, says a task force has been set to curb the smuggling of maize in all border areas. Mr. Matambo said the task force will patrol all border areas 24/7 and that all persons involved will face arrest while commodities and vehicles impounded risk being forfeited to the state.
” The smuggling is a syndicate and well organised to deliberately dent the image of the government. Am proud that we have a focused President who is finding solutions to deal with the mealie meal situation,” said Mr Matambo
He said the smuggling of mealie meal to neighbouring countries has contributed to the shortages and high prices of the commodity in the province and other parts of the country.
Speaking when he appeared on a special interview on ZNBC News, Mr. Matambo said that all those involved in the criminal act will be arrested and their mealie meal and vessels forfeited.
“In Ndola, we have impounded 15000 bags of mealie meal, 5,000 bags in Kitwe, and 52 vehicles impounded in Chililabombwe,” he said.
Mr. Matambo commended President Hakainde Hichilema for facilitating for the release of mealie meal from ZNS to the Copperbelt which now stands at over 3,500 in the last 48 hours.
He assured the millers on the Copperbelt that FRA has released maize in good quantities to enable the millers to satisfy demand.
He disclosed that the government has put in place a Task-Force to help deal with the situation comprising of the Zambia Revenue Authority, Zambia Police Service, the Zambia National Service and other law enforcement agencies.
In a separate interview, Minister of Agriculture Reuben Mtolo Phiri said that the government is seriously monitoring the quantities of maize given to the millers and their output.
He warned that any miller who will be found wanting will be set aside and they will be expected to operate within their own confines and stock.
Mr. Mtolo said that the cheap maize being given to the millers should have benefits passed on the consumers in terms of cheap mealie meal which is readily available.
Of late, some parts of the country have reported shortages and price hikes of the commodity which is artificial as the country has enough maize stocks as evidenced from the consecutive bumper harvest recorded in the past few years.
Ba Matambo..we call what you are doing treating the symptoms and not the disease itself. Smuggling of essentials into the DRC is historical and it cannot be the cause of the crisis we are in. Go down to the real cause not this simple smuggling.
There are border areas where the Congolese even buy the whole maize even before it’s harvested in case you didn’t know.
HH was boasting on how he would ensure no maize shortage and to lower mealie meal price. He the PF incompetent.
You cannot blame the smuggling of mealie meal into the DRC for the current mealie meal crisis because it’s not new and has been going on ever since I can remember.
There was even a kalindula hit back in the 1980s, ‘simagola wapwisha ubunga’ inspired by smuggling.
Maybe just blame the PF. We’ll understand.
kkkkkkk why ? but meanwhile you are issueing export permits. mmmmm lekefyo iweee. The stock soon will deplete and you are still undecided, minister of agriculture mmmmm kkkkkk sure are you serious.Better you resigne on moral grounds together with ERB Board and minister of energy mmmm kkkkk kweenaaaa. Never seen such kaya mwandi.
A smuggler with a bicycle is arrested but the state is allowed to export millions of tonnes to Kenya. Who’s causing the shortages.
Millers know that maize will be in short supply due to the exporting and the expected poor harvest. That’s why they have increased the price and at the same time hoarding some maize for this season.
He warned, he warned, he warned. Our politicians’ speeches are predictable. I have asked this before and I will ask again in the hopes that someone has an answer. Didn’t the president allow for the export of maize when he called Zambia as being land linked and said farming is a business and the Congolese are willing to pay twice the price and therefore exports are allowed? Conversely, are some people able to get export licenses for maize or are they targeting those doing so without a license?
My thoughts as well, I remember the President’s statement very well on export of maize to DRC as Chief Marketing Officer for Zambia.
Ba kawa lala in suits. They have formed a task force to stop citizens from earning so that they can smuggle the commodity themselves. Let them form a task force to stop smuggling ku ma mines too. What a bunch of selfish hypocrites.
This just reminds me of the rampant illegal export of those logs to China whereby everything was overseen by corrupt politicans like this noisy callboy Elisha Matambo. Trucks and goods were momentarily being forfeited to the state only for the goods to disappear and trucks were back on the road. If you are serious about such crimes involve the army and ZRA since this is a national secruity matter…then we will see serious being forfeiting of goods to the state and a lot of cadres will start crying.
New Dawn government is a joke
I challenge HH to command the army General and ZNS to take charge of this Task Force if he is serious about tackling smuggling of maize meal. I bloated pig like Elisha Matambo can never be taken serious he probably has a few trucks in DRC as I am typing …he is no different to Bowman its the same profile just look at his page on National Assembly website no educational background nothing.
Fire fighting.
Smuggling, White collar crime, theft by servant, robberies etc etc all being blamed on poverty
NONSENSE The moral fibre has deterriorated through out and is the cause a lot are struggling but dont steal
and if the truth be known Police and some influencial people are involved