UPND top shot, Hachoombwa, accuses millers of greediness, sabotaging govt efforts

United Party for National Development (UPND) says the decision by government to engage the Zambia National Service (ZNS) to offload cheaper mealie meal on the market had exposed the greediness of the millers.

The mealie meal offloaded on the market is priced between K190 to K230.

UPND presidential campaign member, Beene Hachoombwa, in an interview with Journalists on Tuesday accused the millers of only being interested in making profit.

This was the second time Hachoombwa had accused millers of being greedy and attempting to sabotage government’s good intentions of making the lives of Zambians easier.

Read more: Millers cry out over rising prices of maize

Hachombwa said the Zambia National Service was experiencing the same production cost as millers but had taken the responsibility to serve the people of Zambia instead of making profit.

“The millers were very greedy this was the reason they are subjecting Zambians to high cost of living.
“It is shocking that millers are complaining about the move ZNS has taken because they know that they will no longer make the profit they have been making for some time now,” he said.

The UPND member said the millers should have been selling the commodity at a reasonable price instead of the high prices.

He alleged that few Zambians were managing to buy a 25 kg bag of mealie meal which cost K320 and the intervention by ZNS need to be commended by all well-meaning Zambians.

“Zambia is operating in a free market economy and government has no powers to regulate the prices of commodities, so the move by ZNS to come on the market cannot be condemned, all what they are doing is showing patriotism.

“Government has been engaging miller on several occasions but nothing tangible has come but the country has seen prices of mealie meal increasing on a daily basis,” Hachoombwa said.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.