Trade Minister, Mulenga, denies claims Zambia banned movement of maize to DRC

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Chipoka Mulenga, has strongly denied allegations that Zambia had banned the movement of maize and mealie-meal imported by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from South Africa.

The claims surfaced following the temporary closure of the Kasumbalesa, Mikambo, and Sakania border posts.

In an interview on Tuesday with Zambia Monitor, Mulenga emphasized that Zambia remained a key transit point for goods, including maize, being transported to the DRC from South Africa.

Mulenga was responding to economist Lubinda Haabazoka, who had asserted that such a ban was in place.

“The DRC continues to use Zambia as a transit route for most of the goods it purchases from South Africa. At no point has the Zambian government banned the DRC from transporting maize through Zambia. If there had been a ban, an official government communique would have been issued,” the minister stated.

Mulenga challenged Haabazoka to substantiate his claims and accused him of politicizing the temporary border closures.

According to the minister, the closures were not due to trade tensions but were a precautionary measure in response to riots in the DRC that had spilled over into Zambia.

On Monday, Haabazoka urged the government to engage in diplomatic dialogue with the DRC to resolve any trade tensions, warning that border closures could harm the economies of both countries.

However, Mulenga dismissed these concerns, reiterating that there were no trade rifts between Zambia and the DRC.

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