Chipoka’s warning to businesses

By Daily Revelation Editor

Commerce minister Chipoka Mulenga says the government will be forced to put in place measures to stop consumer exploitation by traders.

Mulenga decried the practice by traders to quickly adjust prices upwards whenever there was an increase in fuel prices but never adjusted to correspond with the decrease.

“When we reduce, they never reduce,” he said. “Government is not in the interest of putting price controls and regulations, but in the best interest of the Zambian public to serve them to get things cost reflective as they are, government will be made to put in measures to stop exploitation. This is a serious concern that we have taken upon as Ministry of Commerce where the sellers and traders are taking advantage of price adjustment to increase and never reduce when we reduce. We need to be responsible, we need to be reasonable and also act in a very moral way.”

What Chipoka is saying is the correct behavior of businesses in this country, where they are very quick to increase prices whenever there is an upward adjustment in fuel prices and depreciation of the Kwacha, but literally do nothing when fuel prices trend downwards or when the Kwacha appreciates.

Businesses have actually taken advantage of the very weak consumer protection in this country.

To hear Chipoka say that the government might do something about it is actually heartwarming. However, it is easier said than done, especially in this country where politicians are more proficient in making proclamations or declarations without any motivation to follow up on their words.

Politicians in this country have made it a custom to promise heaven and actually deliver hell. We hope that Chipoka has gone through some proper deliverance from the ‘spirit’ that has possessed politicians, and will ensure that he follows up on his word into action. Because clearly, Zambians have been exploited. Just consider the subscriptions for DSTV for instance, every year MultiChoice ensures that the prices for subscription packages are increased. Oftentimes they use the Kwacha depreciation as an excuse to effect the changes. There has never been a time when they have had to reduce the prices in times when the Kwacha has appreciated.

But compounding Chipoka’s statement and why his actions might actually not see the light of day is the fact that he is serving under an administration that is actually market oriented, favouring business ahead of consumers. He serves under an administration that believes that everything must be left to the market forces.

Going forward actually the UPND may need some rethink on its market orientation, especially in a country like Zambia where the majority are poor.

It will therefore be a more than welcome gesture to see Chipoka following through on his words and acting on behalf of the people, especially during this very harsh period Zambians are going through.

But further to that, this time calls for Chipoka and his colleagues in government to work their socks off more than ever to change the dynamics in the country, because clearly Zambians are complaining. Once Chipoka and our leaders in government put their act together everything will move along seamlessly including a reduction in the very high cost of living which has necessitated Chipoka to utter the words he uttered.

We are praying for them to actually make it work so that the suffering could be mitigated.