By JAJAH COULIBALY –
THE Consumer Competition and Protection Commission (CCPC) has come under fire from consumers who are demanding that the Anti -Corruption Commission (ACC)  steps  in to investigate the commission’s delay in resolving disputes between consumers and traders.
This comes in the wake of a recent development where one of Zambia’s leading chain outlets, PEP Stores Limited, was summoned by the CCPC to exculpate itself after the Sunday Times ran an article in April, this year about them.
The newspaper article revealed that most of PEP outlets in Lusaka were selling expired food stuffs with undisputed evidence after one of the officers from the CCPC also bought the purported expired food items.
CCPC with the support of the Foods and Drugs Act Cap 305 of the laws of Zambia, made it clear that expired foods should be removed from the shelves, immediately the expiry date reached.
A customer who frequented the outlet said it was sad that, an organisation like CCPC with an aim of protecting consumer interests had been reluctant to punish such offenders.
Jason Mwale, a Lusaka resident accused the Commission of allegedly receiving bribes from offenders to permanently drop cases that could lead to penalties.
“I think CCPC receives bribes from these offenders because you find they start investigating a case involving a trader but later, it suddenly dies a natural death,” he said.
However, CCPC Public relations manager Hanford Chaba said the case had taken long to conclude due the criminality of the offence.
Mr Chaba said criminal offences being dealt with by the Commission usually take longer because of investigation processes.
“We are trying to tread cautiously so that we do not leave any stone unturned and avoid repercussions, we want to see a good job done,” he said.
He assured members of the public that the case had reached an advanced stage and the outcome would be announced.
The CCPC is a statutory body established with a unique dual mandate to protect the competition process in the Zambian economy as well as to protect consumers.