‘Life unbearable’ in Kitwe as meal prices sky-rocket

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 11:00:00 +0000

By Siabana Kelvin

RESIDENTS of St Anthony compound in Kitwe have bemoaned the high prices of mealie-meal which is making them unable to afford three meals a day.

The residents said that life had become tough because of the high cost of living that has engulfed people in various compounds of the City of Kitwe.

Speaking on behalf of the residents, Mr Ernest Kalenga said there was need for the Government and other stakeholders in the country to reduce prices of mealie-meal which have sky-rocketed beyond the means of an average Zambian.

Mr Kalenga said in most places the price  of a 25 kg mealie-meal was fetching between K105 and K115 which most of the people could not afford as they were in the informal sector.

He said it was sad to note that despite the country having plenty of maize from the last farming season, the price of mealie-meal was still high as if the country was importing maize from other countries.

Mr Kalenga said life in Kamatipa and other surrounding compounds in the area was unbearable because the people were failing to manage a decent meal because of the high prices of the  staple food.

He said poverty levels have risen because most of the people  were not in meaningful  employment.

The residents said once the mealie-meal prices were reduced to affordable levels poverty levels would reduce in most of the households in the compound.

Mr Kalenga added that despite the people in the area trying their best to make ends meet by doing small businesses, they were still facing challenges because the economy was tough.

He said it was sad to note that although Zambia was considered a Christian nation the margin between the poor and the rich was widening every day, a situation the residents described as pathetic.