Stranded truck drivers protest

… Sinoma Cement delays spark uproar

OVER 50 truck drivers who have been stuck at Sinoma Cement in Chongwe for more than two weeks under inhuman and unsanitary conditions at the parking yard have protested delays by the cement firm to avail them the commodity.

The truckers fear their continued stay would expose them to diseases as the area had no proper toilets and bathrooms.

They wondered why the company had cleared their orders if they had no cement to give them.

One of the drivers, Mr Wilfred Phiri, told a Daily Nation crew that visited the area that he had been waiting for over a week to have his order cleared.

Mr Phiri said he had run out of food rations because he only planned for a day’s waiting.

He said that the parking yard had no toilet and water making their stay even more miserable.

Mr Phiri said his superiors had paid for the cement, but to his surprise the company had not yet approved his order.

He said his colleagues who had been there for more than two weeks were also in a similar situation.

“Why is this cement company receiving money and telling us to come pick the cement if it cannot fulfill the orders?” he questioned.

Another driver from Agroflo marketing of Chipata, Mr Pethias Miti said that sanitary conditions at the parking yard were giving them sleepless nights.

Mr Miti said that the only toilet which was available for use was more than 500 meters from the parking yard and was in a very bad state.

He said the situation had forced some drivers to use the bush to answer the call of nature.

And Sinoma Mpande Limestone Limited, Industrial manager, Ronnie Ngosa refused to comment, but promised to issue an official position after consulting with the factory and dispatch managers.

POLITICIANS plotting to dismantle the Bemba vote will hit a snag in their efforts because we are now more united and will vote with one voice, Bemba chiefs have said.

Some politicians have reportedly planned to destabilise Northern, Muchinga and Luapula provinces so that votes in the upcoming polls are divided.

Chief Mpepo of Kanchibiya however said plans to divide votes based on ethnic lines would not succeed because his subjects will vote wisely.

He said politicians should instead campaign based on their manifestos and agenda for the country because the Bemba vote would not come on a silver plate.

“Those trying to divide people based on tribe because they come from a certain region will not succeed because people will vote wisely,” Chief Mpepo said.

And Chief Chikwanda of Mpika said it was unfortunate that politicians from Northern and Luapula provinces, some of whom had served as Cabinet ministers have been swayed by selfish politicians to help divide the Bemba vote.

Chief Chikwanda said some people were now forming political parties out of selfish interests and frustrations.

He also said any efforts to dismantle the Bemba vote would not work.

“These political parties are being formed with a sole purpose of trying to divide the Bemba vote so as to disadvantage one party out of frustration,” he said.

Chief Chikwanda said the greediness and selfishness being exhibited by some individuals will lead the country in problems.

“In their hearts they even know that they cannot win elections but all they are interested in is to send one person to State House without taking into consideration the welfare of the country,” Chief Chikwanda said.

He said some presidents of some new political parties were doing things out of frustration after falling out of favour with the ruling PF.

Chief Chikwanda said selfish politicians hired to divide the Bemba vote would not succeed.

GOVERNMENT will not condone the behaviour by some businesses engaging in price collusion and abusive of dominance for essential goods such as cement.

The State through the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is therefore currently conducting investigations across various sectors.

This is to assess whether there are possibilities of price collusion, abuse of dominance and any cartel practices leading to sudden increases in price.

Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister, Christopher Yaluma, expressed concern at the increase in prices for a number of consumer products as well as increases in prices of raw and intermediate products.

Notable among these are consumer products such as sugar, wheat flour, edible oils dairy products, poultry and meat products and other essential commodities such as cement which have recently increased by more than 50 percent in the last 12 months.

For instance, a 50 kg bag of cement was selling at K95 in January, 2020 and is now selling at K130, 2.5 litres of cooking was selling at K60 and is now selling at K96 and 2kg packet of sugar that was selling at K29 is now selling at K45.

Mr Yaluma told Journalists in Lusaka yesterday that his ministry was concerned over the sharp increases as they affected the welfare of consumers as well as industry that depended on inputs from other industries or players in respective value chains.

He regretted that some of the business entities had taken advantage of the current unfortunate circumstances and were engaging in price collusion and abusive of dominance.

“The ministry is concerned with these sharp increases as they affect the welfare of consumers as well as industry that depends on inputs from other industries or players in respective value chains,” Mr Yaluma said.

He said Government had noticed a trend of pricing of commodities and services, in particular, raw materials and rental charges, in foreign currencies by various players.

The law, Mr Yaluma said, provided that the legal tender in Zambia was the Kwacha.

“Government will not condone this practice as this has negative effects on inflation and cost of doing business in the country and undermines macroeconomic stabilisation efforts,” he said.

He said Government had taken keen interest in looking into factors that contributed to these price increases.

Mr Yaluma indicated that Government had therefore been in dialogue with industry and different private sector associations to have an in-depth understanding and look for lasting solutions.