EAGLE MEALIE MEAL PRICING AN ATTEMPT TO INTRODUCE PRICE CONTROLS, PARLEY HEARS
said the commercial environment in the country was liberalised and not a commandist economy which was abandoned in the UNIP era and that the UPND was indirectly attempting to reintroduce price controls.
But Dr Musokotwane denied that Government was about to introduce price controls and that the introduction of cheaper prices for mealie-meal produced by ZNS was not a re-introduction of a commandist economy.
Dr Musokotwane who is also Finance and National Planning Minister said Zambia would not go back to a commandist economy as was the case in the UNIP era.
“There has never been a time saying that Zambia is going back to a commandist economy. ZNS has decided to go into mealie-meal production at a cheaper cost and there is no subsidy from the treasury,” the minister said.
Dr Musokotwane said if ZNS had found a way of producing mealie-meal cheaply, private milling companies should begin to think of doing the same.
PF Nakonde lawmaker Luka Simumba, has demanded to know why the price of the subsidised ZNS mealie-meal was higher than it was in some other parts of the country.
Mr Simumba complained that the price of the ZNS mealie-meal in Nakonde was K400 per 25 kilogramme bag instead of K230, the price that was obtaining in other parts of the country.
But Dr Musokotwane instead blamed Mr Simumba for not informing security wings like others who faced a similar situation did.
“Border areas are difficult even in Europe. In Nakonde, there is pressure from Tanzania. People from Tanzania want to come and buy mealie-meal from Zambia because it is cheap but you can intervene as an MP instead of coming here just to talk,” Dr Musokotwane said.
“Let us not run away from responsibilities as MPs. Why then are you a Member of Parliament? All of us face this problem but we take the initiative. I get the impression that some MPs are very happy when the public is suffering. Change your way of solving problems and people will be happy with you,” Dr Musokotwane said.