A leaked audio in Zambia capturing a conversation between the President Hakainde Hichilema, his minister for North Western Province and the chairman of the maize reserve organization has revealed that the leadership is not happy with the porous borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
President Hichilema is particularly not happy to get a report that most Zambian agriculture produce like maize, cassava leaves (katapa), beans and groundnuts from North Western Province were being sold to the DRC using porous borders including Kipushi.
The head of State has demanded that this is controlled so that Zambia is not left without food for its people.
In another development, Zambia pledged to provide fertilizers and improved seeds to the DRC, but also maize flour for the Grand-Katanga and Grand-Kasaï areas which has been hit by the shortage of the commodity.
In addition, the Zambian government has undertaken to facilitate the crossing on its territory of trailers transporting maize flour destined for the Grand Katanga and Grand Kasaï areas from the Republic of South Africa.
This agreement was reached after DRC Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the economy Vital Kamerhe with a bloated delegation visited Zambia and South Africa last week.
Kamerhe was accompanied by Industry Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya, Foreign Trade, Jean-Lucien Bussa and Small and Medium Enterprises-SMEs, Désiré Birihanze plus their supporting staff.
They held a meeting with Zambian minister for agriculture Reuben Mtolo Phiri.
The discussed the exchange of experiences to boost agricultural production in the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to fight food insecurity.
In a joint communiqué between the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Zambia on trade in maize and maize flour, the two governments pledged to work together to serve their populations.
A 25kg bag of mealie meal (maize flour) is selling at $50 in the most parts of the DRC.
