Zambia National Service Initiates Further Measures to Enhance Accessibility Of Affordable Mealie Meal

The Zambia National Service (ZNS) has actively engaged in negotiations to expand the distribution of its affordable mealie meal, aiming to make it more accessible to the public beyond Shoprite stores.

Zambia's Defence Minister, Ambrose Lufuma, revealed that this effort to provide mealie meal at market-reflective prices has already led private sector players to adjust the cost of this essential commodity.

In an interview with ZNBC News, Minister Lufuma disclosed that ZNS is also in the process of acquiring land in all ten provinces of Zambia. This strategic move is intended to boost maize production, ensuring a consistent supply of mealie meal to meet the needs of the population.

The progress made in the endeavour to offer accessible and reasonably priced mealie meal is substantial. Mulenga Nyone, the Chief of Marketing and Public Relations at ZNS, shared that over 7,060 bags of 25-kilogram mealie meal have been delivered to Shoprite outlets in Lusaka. Moreover, ZNS has extended its distribution to Melissa Supermarket, broadening the options for consumers to procure this staple.

Colonel Nyone affirmed ZNS's commitment to further expand the distribution of mealie meal to Shoprite in Kabwe and other provinces in the upcoming week. 

Nevertheless, recent allegations of price inconsistencies have emerged, with PF Acting President Given Lubinda accusing ZNS of selling mealie meal at varying prices. Lubinda claimed that a 25kg bag of breakfast mealie meal is sold at K150 at ZNS depots, while the same product is available at K230 through Shoprite chain stores.

In response, Chief Government Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa refuted these allegations, deeming them false and misleading. Mweetwa assured the public that the initiative to provide affordable mealie meal is progressing as planned. Additionally, some millers have expressed their readiness to collaborate and offer cost-effective mealie meal to chain stores.