By CHUSA SICHONE and STEVEN ZANDE –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu says he does not want to interfere in the maize market price for now but that he will let market forces do so.
President Lungu said he fixed last year’s maize market price from K75 to K85 because he thought that was what was appropriate at the time.
Mr Lungu said this in response to questions from journalists at City Airport in Lusaka yesterday shortly before departure for Luapula Province.
“When you go to the market, you are selling; there should be a willing buyer (and) a willing seller. I think a consensus will have to be achieved somehow, those who produce maize know what they put in, they
know what they expect; those who are buying also know what they are offering, they will find an equilibrium somehow.
“I don’t want to politicise production, production should be economical and those who are engaged in activities should be rewarded and I think if you are giving them too much money, that’s bad, too low
money, that’s bad, so in the end market forces will have to play, willing buyer, willing seller,” the Head of State said.
On critics saying he raised last year’s maize market price as a campaign gimmick, President Lungu said that was not the case.
“No, no, no, I fixed it because I thought that was what was good, but I don’t want to interfere for now, there should be a bargaining process. The buyer and the seller should be willing to exchange
commodities and that’s what we are trying to achieve. I don’t think a buyer wants to be exploited; I don’t think a producer also wants to be exploited, but somehow you reach a bargain,” Mr Lungu said.
President Lungu, however, said the negotiation process had just started and wished the parties involved good luck.
And speaking on arrival in Mansa yesterday, President Lungu urged Patriotic Front (PF) members to remain united so that the ruling party could remain strong and retain power in 2021.
Mr Lungu said PF members should embrace one another and that this would enable the party to garner enough votes to win the 2021 polls.
“If we don’t win the 2021 elections, our development efforts will go to waste. Our vision will be gone,” the President said at Mansa Airport.
Mr Lungu said the PF was destined to govern Zambia and no amount of dissent would destabilise the party or stop it from delivering development to the people.
He said the PF did not belong to an individual, but everyone and those working to cause confusion in the party would be dealt with.
Mr Lungu said he was the duly elected president of the PF, hence people with ambitions should understand that there was time for every event.
Provincial Minister Nickson Chilangwa said people in the province were happy to host the President.
Patriotic Front (PF) deputy secretary general Mumbi Phiri appealed to PF supporters in the Province to remain vigilant and work to strengthen the party in the area.