Traders on the black market in Solwezi district are selling a 25 kilogramme bag of breakfast at KR92 (K92,000) and roller meal of the same quantity at KR82 (K82,000) amid shortage of the commodity.
Some Solwezi residents decried that unscrupulous traders at Kazombe market have taken advantage of the shortage and have since hiked the price of the commodity.
A retired employee from a Solwezi based mining firm, Julius Phiri, attributed in an interview the hiking of mealie meal prices at Kazombe market to the shortage of the commodity in the district.
Mr Phiri said yesterday that unscrupulous traders were selling the commodity in broad daylight and strongly appealed to relevant authorities to urgently address the problem.
A school teacher, Shadreck Mpundu said most families were unable to afford buying the commodity because of the soaring prices.
Solwezi District Commissioner Chrispin Likando confirmed the increased price of the commodity and urged residents not to panic as Government was doing everything possible to ensure the situation returns to normal.
Mr Likando said traders on the black market were selling the commodity mostly in the night and that the shortage had persisted for more than three days.
“The traders on the black market have hiked the prices of mealie meal to about KR70 (K70,000) and they are mostly selling the commodity in the night,” Mr Likando said.
He said his office has since requested the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to urgently supply 30,000 bags of maize to local millers and residents to cushion the high demand for the commodity in the district.
He said FRA managed to deliver 1,200 bags of maize to the district last week out of which 120 had already been bought by consumers by Friday the same week.
“Most retail outlets are selling the commodity at about K50 (K50,000) except at one of the outlets of Antelope where a 25 kilogramme bag of breakfast was being sold at K55 (K55,000). The shortage started on Wednesday last week,” he said.
He said the shortage was fueled by limited millers, retail outlets and agents operating in the district who have failed to satisfy the local market.
“Literary, we have had no mealie meal for three days although the flow of the commodity in the district has gradually started. We received supply of 1,200 bags from Superior milling and 800 from Antelope,” he said.
Mr Likando assured that his office would conduct random checks at traders who were suspected to be selling the commodity at exorbitant prices.
President Michael Sata recently directed traders and millers to with immediate effect start selling a 25 kilogramme of breakfast at less KR50 (K50,000).
Rewind back to a year ago…Zambia was full of hope, new government in place, AFCON champions, New stadium open, promises of Good Ni**ga Living (GNL). Fast forward to today…
I miss the December 1986 ZAMBIAN FOOD RIOTS, when thousands of Zambian youths rioted starting in Kitwe & spreading like the ARAB SPRING to the rest of Zambia. The great Zambian youths looted stores to protest a 100% increase in the price of Mealie Meal by former Zambian UNIP satanist Dictator Kenneth Kaunda.
Later gallant soldiers & the Zambia Police protected Zambians who were in the looting to protest against KK’s arrogance!
Why are Zambians allowing Dictator Sata, Kabimba, Mmembe & DPP Nchito in taking us for granted? When poor Zambians are suffering & dying from hunger not only in Solwezi but Zambia as whole? I can’t believe this!
Its time Zambians say enough with Sata’s Dictatorship as we did in 1986 against KK’s arrogance & not be passive as is is in Solwezi!…
Price controls never worked with UNIP Dictator Kk, so it wont work even this time! Price controls just like communism only destroys & prevents the growing of economy & small businesses just like Sata started from a small business!
The late former President Chiluba managed to stop smuggling in Zambia just as Mwanawasa & Rupiah Banda did!
What exactly is Dictator Sata’s problem that he has failed to solve this problem & why has he brought food shortages which ended in 1992 by Chiluba?
Sata & PF are deliberately creating unnecessary food shortage so that they can create business for their relatives & PF thugs!
Zambians dignity have been taken away again, especially when they lineup for the Mealie Meal & are beaten to form lines? There is no dignity at all!
Its time we Zambians apply the December 1986 ZAMBIAN FOOD RIOTS FORMULA just as we did against Dictator Kaunda who was more ruthless than this PF autocratic Dictator Sata who has re-introduced Mealie Meal shortages & ritual killings in Zambia
Zambians in Solwezi should start protesting against this incompetent PF govt artificial shortage of Mealie Meal which has never occurred before since 1992!
Start protesting from corrupt childish North Western Minister Masumba who is busy living in Lusaka & campaigning for his corrupt friend Namulambe in Mpongwe instead of attending to Zambians in Solwezi who are dying of hunger from Mealie Meal shortage
Zambians now are suffering more under PF Sata than under UNIP & MMD!
Where are the Roman Catholics who cares for the poor?
Ati 3 square meals
And some lazy yobs are just concerned about statues!
Koma nzedi!