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The opposition is saddened by Defence Minister Ambrose Lufuma’s directive that Zambians should start producing National Registration Cards (NRCs) to buy mealie-meal in Chililabombwe District on the Copperbelt.
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Brian Mundubile, regretted that Zambian citizens were subjected to such treatment in 1980s.
Mundubile recalled that the last time such a thing happened was in the 1980s, adding that it was the saddest moment to take Zambians 40 years back.
“The New Dawn Administration should be sincere to address Zambians on what has gone wrong. The UPND government should not take Zambians back to the dark days of the 1980s,” he said in a statement issued on Thursday in Lusaka.
Mundubile also said Members of Parliament had raised concern regarding the export of maize but Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo Phiri, assured the nation that Zambia had enough maize stocks and government continued exporting the grain.
Read more: Anger over cost of mealie meal deepens, as opposition PF accuses govt of mocking Zambians
He said the UPND administration should admit that they made a mistake to allow maize exports now that stocks were low, which might result in the shortage of the staple food going forward.
“There is a better way of doing this than to subject Zambians to produce identity cards before accessing the staple food,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mundubile has accused the UPND government of mocking Zambians over mealie meals.
Mundubile said this was because President Hakainde Hichilema had promised that he would reduce the cost of mealie meal to K50 when he was begging for votes to become President.
He regretted that the government was mocking Zambians by saying that President Hichilema never promised to reduce the price of mealie meal to K50.
“The promises President Hichilema made were well documented, especially the pledges of reducing the price of mealie meal to K50, fertiliser to K250, fuel to K12, among many other unfulfilled promises. All the promises President Hichilema made while in opposition are well documented and with modern technology, it is easy for people to keep track this information.
“President Hichilema’s voice regarding his promises is actually on people’s phones. For Kawana to say the President never promised is sad and I would advise him to keep away from politicking on such important matters directly affecting people’s lives,” Mundubile said.
He said President Hichilema should simply face Zambians to explain the challenges he could be facing with regard to the fulfillment of his promises.
“He should be free to face Zambians to tell them how he can meet the promises in future rather than sending Kawana to go and mock citizens,” Mundubile said.
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