Nsenga Chief disturbed to see his people queuing for mealie meal, but Sata’s govt blames Malawians

March 5, 2013 | Filed under: Breaking News | Posted by:

Chief Nyamphande of the Nsenga people in Petauke district has appealed to the government to address the mealie- meal shortage that has recently rocked the province.

But the PF government, not wanting to shoulder blame on anything, this time blamed neighbouring Malawian government for the shortage of essential commodities in Zambia.

Chief Nyamphande says it is disturbing to see people queuing up for the essential commodity when the country has recorded successive bumper harvests.

He said that he witnessed people almost looting a truck which had brought mealie-meal to Petauke district recently.

The chief raised the concern when Eastern province permanent secretary Bert Mushala paid a courtesy call on him at his palace.

And Mr Mushala said government has put in place measures to ensure that the staple food is in constant supply to avoid shortages.

The permanent secretary disclosed that the government has also written to shop owners to allow consumers to buy only two bags of mealie-meal as a stop- gap measure to reduce smuggling.

He observed that the shortage is as a result of some unscrupulous people who are smuggling the commodity to Malawi.

The PF government has so far been blaming other entities such as millers, opposition parties, foreign governments such as South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and now Malawi for the shortage of maize and increased mealie meal prices in Zambia.

Just like on political violence, the ruling party has been accusing opposition political parties for the break-down in law.

And in a related development, Chief Mumbi of the Nsenga people of Petauke district  has noted that his chiefdom will experience a low crop yield in the 2013/2014 farming season owing to the late delivery of fertilizer.

Chief Mumbi told the permanent secretary that apart from the late delivery of the commodity some civil servants were abusing and manipulating the system to disadvantage farmers.

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31 Responses to Nsenga Chief disturbed to see his people queuing for mealie meal, but Sata’s govt blames Malawians

  1. So, I can line up all my family members to collect two bags each! How will the vender know who is from which family?

    M.M. - March 6, 2013
    11:36

  2. This is what price controls can do. We will continue facing these shortages unless the ‘decree’ on mealie meal prices is removed. See what is happening on the Copperbelt as well – mealie meal gets smuggled out to DRC day and night. Ask the people in border towns of CB how much a bag of mealie meal costs. As far as a trader is concerned, their thinking will always be ‘buy the mealie meal at Kr85 a bag or I take it to DRC where I will fetch even more!’

    M.M. - March 6, 2013
    11:28

  3. Blame games. It appears to be natural to put blame on others and not oneself. The Government issued a ‘decree’ that no one should sell mealie meal at more than Kr50. Surely, if I was a mealie meal trader, I will be looking for a market where, even taking into account transport costs and risks involved, profit margins make business sense. Traders are not there for charity, they want to make money at all costs. Social (hunger) concerns are not their baby.

    M.M. - March 6, 2013
    11:17

  4. It should be remembered that it is possible and easy to sell lies and in the process get to State House. It is however very difficult to continue telling lies and stay in State House.

    Mpongo Muleya - March 6, 2013
    11:00

  5. No need 2 panic tha pf govt z workng round tha clock to correct things.Ths gvt z made up of action orientd pipo dnt worry guys.Yo HH cnt do anythn cz he z politicaly impotent.

    Chief Puta - March 6, 2013
    10:38

  6. VERY FUNNY FOR SATA AND HIS PF GOVERNMENT TO BLAME MALAWI FOR SHORTAGE OF MEALIE MEAL IN PETAUKE. I RECALL SATA’S CHIEF CHEER LEADER MEEMBE OF THE POST NEWSPAPER PRAISING SATA FOR BEING KIND HEARTERED WHEN HE “DONATED 5 MILLION LITRES OF NPETROL WORTH US$7 MILLION” TO MALAWI, A COMMODITY THAT WE DO NOT PRODUCE. AND BELIEVE ME THAT PETROL WAS NEVER DONATED BUT SOLD. THE TRUTH WILL ONE DAY COME OUT ON WHO POCKETED THAT US$7 MILLION.

    PM - March 6, 2013
    07:10

  7. All the surplus money in Zambia is spent on non priorities and when sensible people speak up the rest of you idiots cry foul and start calling us names.

    What kind of a people are you who cant defend public interests and community property? You accept crumbs all the time and are even grateful for them so shut up!!

    Nubian Princess - March 6, 2013
    04:16

  8. The “MARKET” is an animal that does not like being manipulated. In a bid to sound good by artificially suppressing the mealie meal prices, this is exactly what you get. My worry is, this PF govt has a very long way to go and I m not sure they are learning anything from the many blunders they have made. A few months ago, Guy Scott after seeing the many stacks of maize left by RBs MMD declared that Zambia does not need maize, and they really messed the farmers up. It would be interesting if he can still say that today.

    Zagwa Zatha - March 6, 2013
    03:18

  9. Can fred membe tel sata thru their mouth piece that things ar not alright not matter how long they pretend,we ar living on time bomb that wil buirst soon if pf is not careful.where is kk to advise this fool

    chipata disco - March 6, 2013
    00:34

  10. We have fools in leadership. Does it mean that Malawians never used to buy mealie meal when MMD was in power or did MMD have an automatic stop gap in place all the time? How do you ask consumers to only purchase two bags as a stop gap measure? This is total foolishness. PF wake up..

    SoSha Rocks!!! - March 5, 2013
    23:35

    • Agreed

      Zganga - March 6, 2013
      08:24

  11. Pathetic government

    Muleya - March 5, 2013
    23:25

  12. HOW CAN CHIPATA HAVE NO MAIZE, WHERE WAS IT SOLD? WHY DIDNT THEY SELL MAIZE FROM NORTHERN PROVINCE SINCE THEY ARE USED O HUNGER THERE?? AND CHIPATA COUNCIL HAS BROUGHT IN BEMBAS TAKEN OVER THE COUNCIL, WHAT DO U EXPECT? THERE WILL BE MORE HUNGER…. DO U MEAN THERE ARE NO EASTERNERS TO WORK?WHY DID THEY REMOVE THE ONES THERE?

    NewZambia - March 5, 2013
    22:03

  13. Bert Mushala is a permanent secretary for Eastern Province. How can the country develop with this total recycling of failures. What change has PF brought? Mushala, Masumba, Namulambe, Mpombo? Shame to Zambians who voted for PF including myself.

    Muntu Na Muntu - March 5, 2013
    21:20

  14. Failed goverment

    Sakeni Chief whip - March 5, 2013
    21:10

  15. Now i know why HH said chimbwi no plan.this is what led him to say so.

    Mr Kiss - March 5, 2013
    20:47

  16. What is chief mpezeni saying maybe he got and chewed the maize money hence the ziiiii! Is he tired now visiting flat 1 along independence avenue? Pf sajailika.

    kwanu Nikwanu - March 5, 2013
    20:45

  17. bad carpenter always.

    Stanley Maliseni - March 5, 2013
    20:36

  18. This Government has TOTALLY failed!
    They should be honest enough to accept the blame!

    Mubanga - March 5, 2013
    19:06

  19. Mugabe has aleady said he feels lonely. If Sata also deserts him after blaming him for the shortage of the staple food, the 89 yr old may just kick the bucket.

    Kaluba - March 5, 2013
    19:06

  20. so when they wil be a shortage in l/stone,zim wil be blamed,mongu wil be angola,northern tanzania and lsk will be????

    RASTA - March 5, 2013
    18:36

  21. So far the shortage has not been blamed on the opposition, strange!

    foloko - March 5, 2013
    18:26

    • The blame on the opposition will be made after the commonwealth team leaves the country.

      moronic voter - March 5, 2013
      21:23

  22. Sorry fellaz.try rice.

    Observer - March 5, 2013
    18:23

  23. Ukwa will donate more maize to Sekuru Mugabe if you complain.

    Odya Mphafa - March 5, 2013
    17:45

  24. Why export maize to Tanzania when we are facing shortages. Technocrats in govt plz advise our political leaders.

    Fubu - March 5, 2013
    17:41

  25. This is a sad development for the country which has recorded numerous economic successes under MMD. PF should acknowledge their failures in order to put things right. Shifting blame to others will not solve problems. People want food not excuses. this is going back 20 years under UNIP

    Rodwell Simukonda - March 5, 2013
    17:21

  26. the PF can’t manage to govern without any hussles..we told you people..they have no plans..

    mumbwe - March 5, 2013
    17:07

  27. Thats what they voted for and disowned their own RB who was a man of action. Next year will be worse coz Sata is a political failure.

    JAP - March 5, 2013
    17:07

  28. we used to see shortages of mealie meal in UNIP errar and not in MMD rule.

    Eagle's Eye - March 5, 2013
    17:04

  29. Foolishness! Why should people be limited to only buying 2 bags? For how long are they allowed to buy those 2 bags? Every hour? Every day? Every month?

    This is a failed government. Consequences of voting for a Bozo the Clown character as President!

    Czar - March 5, 2013
    16:58