By THANDIWE MOYO –
MEALIE meal prices in Lusaka have continued rising despite calls by the Government to reduce them.
A random survey conducted around Mandevu, Chaisa and other townships revealed that a 25 kilogramme bag of maize cost between K80 and K90, while a 25 kilogramme bag of roller meal was pegged at K70.
Malaila Tembo, a Mandevu Township resident, called on the Government to help in the reduction of mealie meal prices.
Ms Tembo said the high mealie meal prices were becoming unbearable for her to cater for her eight children.
“With these high prices of mealie meal, my children and nieces eat left0-over food from restaurants, and this situation made one of my children get sick,” she said.
Ms Tembo said if the prices of mealie meal continued going up, her family would die of hunger.
A Chaisa Township senior citizen Carol Nsofu said not only mealie meal prices had gone up but even those of other goods and services.
Ms Nsofu lamented that the high mealie meal prices had resulted in her eating nshima only once a day and could not afford to buy rice or any other substitute foodstuff.
In response, Millers Association of Zambia president Allan Sakala said the increase in mealie meal prices was due to high production costs caused by load-shedding.
