Chanda fears favouritism in mealie meal deal, calls for unbiased, inclusive dialogue with millers

United Prosperous and Peaceful Zambia (UPPZ), Charles Chanda, is demanding that government holds unbiased and inclusive dialogue with all millers in the country.

Chanda noted the need for fairness, and expressed concerns over the government’s apparent favoritism towards a multinational company and the Zambia National Service (ZNS) in producing cheap mealie meal.

The UPPZ leader in a statement issued in Lusaka on Wednesday, questioned why the government had not granted ZNS’s cheaper production rates across the board, ensuring uniform pricing of mealie meal nationwide.

“It is with deep concern and disappointment that we witness the Zambian government favoring one multinational company and the ZNS in producing cheap mealie meal,” he said.

Chanda said such biased practices had created an unfair market and heightened the burden on Zambians.

He demanded that the government prioritized the people’s welfare and initiated dialogue with all millers simultaneously, enabling a fair and just pricing system for the entire nation.”

“The UPPZ firmly believes that the government must confront this issue head-on rather than evading it and failing to provide proper guidance,” Chanda said.

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He deemed President Hakainde Hichilema as “promising natural failure”, as the current administration had not effectively addressed the concerns about the price disparity and unequal treatment within the milling industry.

Chanda said Zambians are feeling the weight of this inequitable system, as the cost of mealie meal differed from region to region, placing an unfair burden on certain communities.

He appealed to the government to approach the crisis with empathy and humanity, and acknowledged the impact it had on the lives of everyday Zambians.

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