By Merlyn Mwanza
Chishimba Kambwili has pleaded with Zambians to start continuously voicing out against the skyrocketing mealie mealie pieces, saying the price will not reduce itself if they remain silent.
And the UPND administration has increased the price of fuel in order to reduce it later, as once claimed by Vice-President Mutale Nalumango that they were increasing in order to reduce.
Delivering a speech, Kambwili said he was praying for President Hakainde Hichilema to once and for all start telling the truth following his claims to the bishops that the price of mealie meal will reduce once production was increased.
“Ba President, ukulanda ichishinka kusuma (telling the truth is very important), so that people can quickly adjust. What will the increase in the price of maize do with the price of mealie meal? You increased the price of maize to K280. Even if the farmers produce more maize the price of maize will still remain K280. Please ba President learn to tell the truth, even if it’s a bad message,” Kambwili he said.
Kambwili said the price of the staple food must be subsidised, saying the UPND administration was the only administration in the country that is not sensitive to the mealie meal prices.
“We have a President who cheats and you accept that he has killed an elephant, meanwhile he has just killed a rat. Ubufi ebo baishiba (The only thing he knows is lying). We are praying for him to stop lying,” Kambwili said.
Kambwili blamed Zambians for having elected Hichilema into office.
“Na mwebene abena Zambia umulomo. We told you. God rejected HH five times. Zambians please start talking on the price of mealie meal. The price of mealie meal will not reduce itself,” said Kambwili, who despite saying he urged Zambians against voting for Hichilema once served with him in the opposition alliance and declared that he was ready to serve as his vice-president.
Kambwili further urged the UPND against the plan to do away with FISP, as that will only push the price of mealie meal further upwards
And the Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has announced an increase in the cost of fuel as Petrol to K25.57 from K24.93 Diesel to K23.36 from K21.87.
The price increase for petrol since President Hichilema assumed office in 2021 is now K9 and for diesel the upward adjustment is almost K6.
