PETAUKE Independent MP Emmanuel Jay Jay Banda has disputed government’s justification that the current shortage of mealie meal in Eastern Province is due to smuggling of the commodity to other countries. And a Lundazi resident, Jason Chilanga, has bemoaned the shortage of mealie meal in his area, adding that last the commodity was available was on Wednesday and it was pegged at K410. On Wednesday, Agriculture Minister Mtolo Phiri attributed the current shortage of mealie meal in Eastern Province to smuggling of the commodity to other countries. But in an interview, Thursday, Banda said the minister was lying. “No! That’s a lie. There is no one who is even smuggling because right now, Petauke is in a population close to...