Lusaka – The Zambian opposition says shortages of basic commodities in the southern African country are a sign that the ruling Patriotic Front (PF) party has failed the country, ahead of elections. According to the Post, Copperbelt Province Minister Mwenya Musenge attributed the crisis to greedy businessmen, who he said were using the shortage of mealie meal to exploit and make above-normal profits. Musenge said it was government's responsibility to implement efforts to stop the issue of smuggling mealie meal out of Zambia. Reports of maize being smuggled into Burundi and other neighbouring countries were revealed after police officers in Kasama impounded two trucks transporting the commodity.

The authorities had imposed an export ban on mealie meal in light of the El Nino induced drought, saying Zambia would experience its third lowest maize output for 2015/2016. Apart from the shortage of mealie meal, Zambians were also struggling to access commodities such as sugar, cooking oil, soaps and salt.

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