Zambian Govt not linked to Zambia Malawi maize scandal

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Government says it was not involved in the alleged Zambia- Malawi maize gate scandal as insinuated by some sections of the media.

Chief Government Spokesperson Kampamba Mulenga said contrary to what is being reported in the media,the Zambian Government was not directly, or indirectly linked to the transaction.

Ms Mulenga explained that Government only facilitated the exportation of maize by waiving the maize export ban.

Below is the statement as issued by the Minister.

MAIZEGATE SCANDAL BETWEEN ZAMBIAN AND MALAWIAN GOVERNMENTS.

Government wishes to dispel allegations being peddled by some people in some sections of the media that Government was involved in the alleged Zambia- Malawi maize gate scandal.

To the contrary, the Zambian Government was not directly, or indirectly linked to the transaction.

In the spirit of good neighbourliness, President Lungu and his Malawian counterpart went into an agreement to facilitate the Zambian grain dealers that had sufficient maize stocks to trade with their Malawian counterparts.

The Government only played a facilitatory role through the Ministry of Agriculture by waiving the maize export ban.

Therefore, Government finds the persistent attacks from opposition UPP President Dr. Saviour Chishimba totally baseless, misplaced and lacking credibility.

At the height of the shortage of maize in Malawi and the region due to the severe drought that visited the entire Southern African region, only Zambia and Tanzania were food secure in terms of cereal sufficiency.

As a matter of fact, Zambia has continued to receive requests from neighbouring countries  to waive the maize export ban ,the latest being the Democratic Republic of Congo which sent a delegation a week ago to confer with the Zambian Government.

The Zambian Government has since allowed the Congo DR Government to buy 25,000 metric tonnes from grain dealers in the country.

Zambians may wish to note that arising from the imminent threat of hunger that faced the nation, one of the stop gap measures Government employed was to slap a ban on the exportation of Maize until further notice.

To this end, Zambia National Service officers and other law enforcement wings were deployed to man the borders through which maize and mealie-meal were being smuggled to the neighbouring countries.

It is important for people aspiring to the highest office in the land to be factual when discussing issues of national interest.

Government will not be swayed from helping its neighbours by persistent attacks from one- man party leaders like Dr. Chishimba.

Hon Kampamba Mulenga,MP

MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING SERVICES & CHIEF GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON

24th February, 2017

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