By Merlyn Mwanza
UPND secretary general Batuke Imenda says the remarks by party member of the presidential campaign committee Beene Hachoombwa had the potential to incite party youths to cause violence against the millers.
Addressing the press today, Imenda addressed Beene Hachoombwa who accused the millers of of being PF as quoted in the Daily Nation Newspaper, saying such alarming statements did not represent the position of the party.
“We are aware there is increase in the price of mealie meal,” Imenda said, and that government has met with the millers to have the situation addressed, but that in the process of doing so a party member came up with an irresponsible statement.
He warned UPND members who had a habit of issuing media statements which did not have the authority of the party of serious censure, saying irresponsible statements had the potential to incite people against the millers.
“People may just think that these millers are anti-government … the next thing a miller is going to be injured because of one careless statement by an individual,” Imenda said, adding that the party had said no to caderism and the same would not be allowed back through people issuing careless statements
He expressed hope that the issue of “skyrocketing” prices will be brought under control.
And Millers Association of Zambia President Chintala said they have engaged the UPND because they thought the relationship they enjoyed with the party was endangered.
He said the millers were looking at modalities on addressing the shortages and the high prices, saying in some areas prices had already come down from above K180 per 25kg bags to trading between K165 and K172.
Chintala said the current price for maize was between K5000 and K6000 per metric tonne while the government was offloading the same at K4000 which he said will make a difference in price, and further warned scrupulous traders to stop exploiting the situation by bringing in abnormal margins
