By Daily Revelation Editor
Zambia Association of Manufacturers has announced that over 30 of its members have reduced prices of commodities, in response to a call for price reduction from Commerce Minister Chipoka Mulenga.
The products with reduced prices include mealie meal from Delicious Milling, which has dropped by about 13.3% from K300 to K260; Zambia Sugar by 5%; Agogo bread from Granny’s Bakery by 6% and Mount Meru cooking oil by 15%. Others include Seba Soya Pieces and Nutra Milk, produced by 260 Brands, which have seen price reductions of 19%
The move to reduce prices on essential commodities is very much welcome and must be commended. However, one wonders if the same is really happening on account of the improving economic fundamentals, or there are other motivating factors leading to the same.
We say so because generally, when economic fundamentals are worsening in the economy, they generally affect mostly the whole production cycle, with the consumers the ones to bear the most brunt. And the trend towards a downward spiral in terms of prices also generally accompanies improvements in economic variables. Therefore, one would have expected that the price reductions would cut across the economy on almost all the goods and services, and not just a selected few items in the same manner the change seems to be happening now.
And while the minister’s call for price reductions is also welcome, and should be encouraged, especially when fundamentals seem to be improving. However, when the economy is improving it doesn’t even require the pleas from the minister or government, because the market itself will regulate itself. Otherwise, it isn’t just sustainable that for prices to reduce in the economy there has to be a plea from the minister actually.
And if indeed these 30 manufactures under the Zambia Zambia Association of manufactures have reduced prices because of improving market fundamentals, what is happening with the others in the market? Haven’t they felt the improving market fundamentals to self motivate themselves to follow along and reduce their own pricing? Are they also waiting for the minister’s pleas?
And while reductions in the prices of goods and services must be encouraged and supported at all times, however, this aspect where economic fundamentals seem to usually improve towards elections is just plain upsetting and may come along as some concerted attempt to hoodwink the public in order for them to vote for the party in power. It’s actually insulting on the intelligence of the Zambian masses, and usually this phenomenon is associated with almost all the ruling parties. One would question where they were all these years when they were supposed to have improved the situation, which could have spared the hardships of millions.
For instance, for close to three years the country grappled with serious blackouts where the most people saw in terms of electricity supply during that period was seven hours, before it regressed sharply to only three hours daily. While, it is appreciated that the drought from the 2023-2024 rain season was among the worst, if not the worst in history, the same was accompanied by a very good season of rainfall in the 2024-25 season, which seems to have continued into the 2025-26 season, one would question why all of a sudden we are experiencing 24 hours of electricity supply in the last two to three months. What is happening? The same solutions that are being found now, where were they all these years?
In the same vein, we have grappled with high fuel prices for a long time, including the pricing in essential commodities, plus high inflation. Why are we only seeing rapid reductions in inflation now, and the prices of some goods? Why do we only have price reductions on some goods and not on all the goods generally in the economy? Why are electricity tariffs still exorbitantly high? Why are fuel prices, despite some reductions here and there, still high, and not corresponding with the appreciation in the Kwacha?
The sad aspect with improvements leading towards elections is that even in instances when they are genuine and born out of the hard work from the government, people will always tend to treat such improvements with skepticism. Better then to work towards improving the situation way way before the election seasons.
Related
By Daily Revelation Editor
Zambia Association of Manufacturers has announced that over 30 of its members have reduced prices of commodities, in response to a call for price reduction from Commerce Minister Chipoka Mulenga.
The products with reduced prices include mealie meal from Delicious Milling, which has dropped by about 13.3% from K300 to K260; Zambia Sugar by 5%; Agogo bread from Granny’s Bakery by 6% and Mount Meru cooking oil by 15%. Others include Seba Soya Pieces and Nutra Milk, produced by 260 Brands, which have seen price reductions of 19%
The move to reduce prices on essential commodities is very much welcome and must be commended. However, one wonders if the same is really happening on account of the improving economic fundamentals, or there are other motivating factors leading to the same.
We say so because generally, when economic fundamentals are worsening in the economy, they generally affect mostly the whole production cycle, with the consumers the ones to bear the most brunt. And the trend towards a downward spiral in terms of prices also generally accompanies improvements in economic variables. Therefore, one would have expected that the price reductions would cut across the economy on almost all the goods and services, and not just a selected few items in the same manner the change seems to be happening now.
And while the minister’s call for price reductions is also welcome, and should be encouraged, especially when fundamentals seem to be improving. However, when the economy is improving it doesn’t even require the pleas from the minister or government, because the market itself will regulate itself. Otherwise, it isn’t just sustainable that for prices to reduce in the economy there has to be a plea from the minister actually.
And if indeed these 30 manufactures under the Zambia Zambia Association of manufactures have reduced prices because of improving market fundamentals, what is happening with the others in the market? Haven’t they felt the improving market fundamentals to self motivate themselves to follow along and reduce their own pricing? Are they also waiting for the minister’s pleas?
And while reductions in the prices of goods and services must be encouraged and supported at all times, however, this aspect where economic fundamentals seem to usually improve towards elections is just plain upsetting and may come along as some concerted attempt to hoodwink the public in order for them to vote for the party in power. It’s actually insulting on the intelligence of the Zambian masses, and usually this phenomenon is associated with almost all the ruling parties. One would question where they were all these years when they were supposed to have improved the situation, which could have spared the hardships of millions.
For instance, for close to three years the country grappled with serious blackouts where the most people saw in terms of electricity supply during that period was seven hours, before it regressed sharply to only three hours daily. While, it is appreciated that the drought from the 2023-2024 rain season was among the worst, if not the worst in history, the same was accompanied by a very good season of rainfall in the 2024-25 season, which seems to have continued into the 2025-26 season, one would question why all of a sudden we are experiencing 24 hours of electricity supply in the last two to three months. What is happening? The same solutions that are being found now, where were they all these years?
In the same vein, we have grappled with high fuel prices for a long time, including the pricing in essential commodities, plus high inflation. Why are we only seeing rapid reductions in inflation now, and the prices of some goods? Why do we only have price reductions on some goods and not on all the goods generally in the economy? Why are electricity tariffs still exorbitantly high? Why are fuel prices, despite some reductions here and there, still high, and not corresponding with the appreciation in the Kwacha?
The sad aspect with improvements leading towards elections is that even in instances when they are genuine and born out of the hard work from the government, people will always tend to treat such improvements with skepticism. Better then to work towards improving the situation way way before the election seasons.
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