MEALIE MEAL: THE STAPLE FOOD IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
It Has Made Powerful Presidents Lose Power
Mealie meal is a staple food in Southern Africa, particularly in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and South Africa.
What is Mealie Meal?
Mealie meal is a type of cornmeal made from maize (corn) kernels that have been dried and ground into a fine or coarse flour. The kernels are typically white or yellow, and the meal can range in texture from fine to coarse.
Uses of Mealie Meal
Mealie meal is a versatile ingredient used in various traditional dishes, such as:
1. *Nshima* (Zambia) or *Sadza* (Zimbabwe): a thick cornmeal porridge, similar to polenta.
2. *Pap* (South Africa): a thin cornmeal porridge.
3. *Kenkey* (Ghana): fermented corn dough, often served with a spicy sauce.
Nutritional Value
Mealie meal is a good source of carbohydrates, fiber, and some essential minerals like iron, zinc, and potassium. However, it is often low in protein and other essential nutrients.
Cultural Significance
Mealie meal holds significant cultural and historical importance in Southern Africa, particularly in rural communities where it has been a staple food for generations.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
In Zambia this mealie meal has made powerful politicians with their political parties lose electrons when the Citizens can’t not access it due to high prices or shortages on the market.
When it is not available or people have not are they say there is hunger.
Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia’s first and most powerful president of the seven so far lost power after 27 years. This mealie meal was one of the reasons.
Edgar Lungu Zambia’s sixth president despite his Patriotic Front party having embarked on massive infrastructure development only second to Kaunda’s reign by building modern Hospitals, Schools, roads, bridges that changed the outlook of the city still lost elections in 2021. High price of mealie meal at K120 for a 25kg Breakfast bag was one of the main reasons. The main challenger Hakainde Hichilema of UPND promised to reduce the price to K50. Zambians turned up in mass and voted out Lungu making lose electrons by one million votes.
Currently under Hichilema unfortunately the price of mealie meal has tripled contrary to his campaign promise he attributes to the drought the country experienced.
The majority of the Citizens cannot avoid the price of the mealie meal. Even the local communities have to travel to urban areas to buy the commodity. Six million people are affected according to President Hichilema when he declared drought as a national drought.
Zambia will be holding the next elections in 2026 and the Zambian Eye knows that mealie meal will be a big campaign issue.
Citizens from Southern Africa have stuck to mealie meal as their traditional staple food and seems not charging anytime soon to have other alternatives. In Zambia people feel insulted to be told about this.