MOISTURE EXCUSE A LIE
…Explain real reason for maize price secrecy – Silumbe
By Mast Reporter
THE Leadership Movement (LM) has challenged
THE Food Reserve Agency (FRA) must explain why it has not announced the 2026/2027 floor price instead of using high moisture content as an excuse for the delay.
Speaking in an interview with The Mast, LM president Dr Richard Silumbe urged both President Hakainde Hichilema and the FRA to stop playing political stunts on the maize price.
Dr Silumbe said the government should clearly state whether it intended to maintain the current floor price of K340 per 50kg bag or introduce a new price.
He said it was clear that the government wanted to reduce the price of maize this year, hence the delay in announcing.
“Why should moisture content stop the government from announcing the price it intends to buy maize at? Is this government telling us that the moisture content will determine the maize price? Something fishy is going on. This government is not being honest with the people,” Dr Silumbe said.
He warned the UPND government and Hichilema, in particular, against deceiving farmers saying a political stunt would not save him from his downfall next month.
Dr Silumbe said Hichilema should stop playing games because doing so would be catastrophic to the country’s food basket.
He said the failure by the FRA to announce the price last week was an eye-opener on whether government had money or not.
“This is a crucial time for our farmers to adequately plan for the next farming season, but the trouble we have is that they are still keeping the maize they should have sold already by now. The challenge is on the government to tell the farmers how much they will be buying maize this year,” he said.
Dr Silumbe said the failure to adequately inform farmers on the way forward had created anxiety and panic among them.
“Government should not hide behind moisture content when it comes to announcing the maize price. A serious government by now should have announced the price while waiting for the so-called high moisture content to reduce. At least the farmers will have an option to either wait or sell elsewhere,” he said.
Dr Silumbe said the failure by government to announce the price had put the at the mercy of small-scale private buyers who were now dictating the price.
He said the UPND government had exhibited high levels of uncaring and arrogance when it comes to matters of national interest.
“This government can only play this game if it wants to reduce the price of maize. And this is our feeling that this government is scared to announce the price because it has no money, and it wants to reduce the price from K340 to K280 per 50kg bag. And now it is scared because doing that now will attract resentment from the rural voters and Zambians in general,” Dr Silumbe said.
He said Hichilema had never been sincere in the manner he had conducted himself in the last four years in power.
“This President has never been sincere with the people of Zambia. He always wants to play politics even on matters that border on death and life for our people. The issue of maize in Zambia is a very important matter, and if he were a serious leader, he could have announced it. But as usual, he wants to play stunts by giving fake directives. This government is broke; it has no money to buy the maize. In fact, it diverted money to campaigns,” he said.
