Zambia: The Task Force formed to control price hike in Kasama has confiscated 120 bags of the Zambia National Service (ZNS) branded mealie meal from traders.
The action was done after the organization recorded complaints from some Kasama residents over the hiking of the Eagle’s mealie meal brand by traders.
The task force conducted an operation from Location, Lua Luo, and Chikumanino markets. They seized the bags of the meal from traders found selling the commodity at an exorbitant price.
Kasama District Commissioner Annie Paul warned that the government will not tolerate traders who will be manipulating the price of eagles mealie meal in Kasama.
“Mealie meal is the staple food for Zambians, and it is unacceptable for traders to exploit people by hiking prices or smuggling it for illegal profits. This operation is part of our efforts to ensure that every household can afford mealie -meal at the right price,” he said.
The district commissioner for Kasama also serves as the task force chairperson. He said eagles mealie meal is meant to help the less privileged who can not afford to buy other brands of food.
She further thanked the task force for preventing those who are exploiting vulnerable Zambians by hiking the eagle’s mealie meal price.
Furthermore , Ollie Chibale, a resident of Location Township in Kasama, has commended the taskforce for taking action against higher prices of the mealie meal.
Noting that many traders were exploiting consumers by hiking the price of the commodity,Mr Chibale explained that traders are selling a 25 kilograms bag of breakfast mealie meal as high as K 350 kwacha, while roller meal is selling at K250.
“These traders are stealing from us. Government has set fair prices of 230 kwacha per 50 kilograms bag of breakfast meal. But traders are selling the similar bag at K350, while for a 25 kilogram bag of breakfast, and 250 kwacha for a 25 kilogram bag of roller,” he said.
He added that ordinary citizens are struggling to afford the support food provided by the government due to the hike in the prices.
“Just because they want to make huge profits, they do not consider the citizens suffering. Ordinary citizens are struggling to afford food. Selling the food at 350 kwacha is denying citizens their right to their staple food, ” he said.
Consumers in the area were of the view that if traders are not willing to sell the subsidized food at K230, they should stop selling in their outlets and let ZNS sell.
Traders have been hiking Zambia National Service branded, support meal by going against the set retail prices for deferent packaging.