The Government has threaten to withdraw trading licences from traders failing to reduce the price of mealie meal following a meeting held between the President Michael Sata and millers.Maize meal is the staple food of many Zambian house holds.

Central Province minister Philip Kosamu said the government would be forced to direct the council to revoke licences if millers fail to reduce the price of mealie meal of a 25 kilogrammes by today.

This follows an emergency meeting held between President Sata and members of the Millers Association of Zambia (MAZ) to halt escalating prices of the staple food.

After the State House meeting on Monday, MAZ agreed to peg the wholesale price of a 25kilogramme bag of breakfast mealie- meal at KR47 (K47, 000) and KR50 (K50, 000) for retail.

Similarly, a 25kilogramme bag of roller meal will now cost KR35 (K35, 000) wholesale price, while the retail price is now KR38 (K38, 000).

But Mr Kosamu who was accompanied by Central Permanent Secretary Annie Sinyangwe who conducted an impromptu tour was sadden that some millers were still reluctant to reduce the price despite the presidential directive.

He said that the government would not sit back and watch miller deliberately exploit Zambians.
The Minister took to task a senior manager at Simba Milling company who expressed ignorance over the meeting but referred queries to her overall boss.

The company however, said it was unable to reduce the price due to transportation cost and the 25 kg was selling at KR52 retail price for breakfast while roller was going for KR48.


And Mrs Sinyangwe said the government was committed to working with millers because there were partners in development .

She said millers should not wait to be directed provided there are following the law and that the government has an open door policy of ensuring fair trade for both buyers and traders.

And a survey within city centre and banker shopping centre found some traders are still selling the 25kg at KR56 and KR58kg selling the new prices would only be effected once the old stocks runs out while at Shoprite Superior milling was going at KR5548 and Antelope KR5448.

Before proceeding for the closed-door meeting with the millers, President Sata said he would not allow mealie-meal prices to remain high as this could degenerate into food riots which were experienced in UNIP’s reign in 1986 and 1990 which was part of the downfall of the Kaunda regime in 1991.

The Patriotic Front (PF) Government would not allow exploitation of Zambians by the millers as this could spark riots.
(The article appeared in Lusaka times newspaper)