ZNS MEALIE MEAL IS IN TWO BRANDS, FOR LOCAL CONSUMPTION AND FOR EXPORT
The confusion in Chililabombwe is purely based on misinformation and excitement from people who think they have scored exposing ZNS when in reality they have exposed themselves for not being aware of the National current affairs and how things are going. What is more regrettable is that some people that are even aware of what Cabinet approved agitated the situation by expressing ignorance on the matter.
ZNS has milling plants doted around the country for the production of local mealie meal for consumption and the bags are green and you can access this mealie meal in any chain store or supermarkets around the country such as Shoprite, Choppies, Pick n Pay and many more. If there is any area that needs mealie meal ZNS is supplying evenly everywhere. Unlike the rest of the country where there is no pressure, in the 4 Copperbelt Districts namely Mufulira, Chililabombwe, Ndola and Masaiti the situation is different due to smuggling no matter how much mealie meal is supplied its going mainly for smuggling.
Cabinet approved that ZNS imports mealie meal South Africa via different private companies and that mealie meal is then repackaged for export to Congo DRC to ensure that the pressure on the local brand is less. Even the bags are labelled (For Export) that mealie meal is not meant for local consumption.
Ba Chililabombwe you must be sensitized about these differences because you expose yourselves, ZNS are a military wing that can not do anything to harm you or against you its your government trying very hard to respond to the situation. The videos circulating on social media alluding that Congolese are repackaging ZNS mealie meal are false. That operation is by ZNS (your government) and there is nothing illegal about that and that mealie meal is not for you Zambians but for Congolese.
Your mealie meal is there in chain stores and supermarkets the problem with the 4 towns on Copperbelt is that they are buying too much in bulk not because they have VIP appetite that needs alot of mealie meal but they are smuggling to the DRC Congo hence the shortages. CIC is covering Task Force Team charged to face smuggling its a sad story the drama around. So how do you want to eat your cake so fast and have it at the same time?. The mealie meal shortage in Chililabombwe and many towns is because of smuggling. We are covering alot of operations even today 02 in Ndola we where covering ab operation where alot of mealie meal is being smuggled to the DRC how then does the mealie meal become available in this situation?.
CIC Press Team