The Zambia Consumer Association ZACA said the increase in the license fee for commercial Kapenta Operators from K3, 333 to K4, 000 about 40 percent will only increasing further the cost of doing business in Zambia.
In the 2024 National Budget presentation Finance and National Planning Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane proposed to increase the license fees for commercial kapenta operators to K4, 000 from K3, 333 last revised in 2011.
ZACA Executive Director Juba Sakala has questioned as to why such an increase has been made in light of the prevailing economic challenges that the people are facing. He said kapenta is the livelihood of many of people, and that it is already expensive on the market, hence an increase in the fee will hike its price.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times, Sakala said the reparations of such decisions will cause a further increase in food items, and the cost of living will never go down, but keep getting higher.
“No one will get a license of kapenta at k4, 000, and sale a bag of kapenta at k2, 000. Everyone wants to make profit, because the cost of doing bringing the kapenta from the source to the seller is so high” said Sakala.
He said the cost of doing business, and production is so high in Zambia, and is the root cause of the high cost of living causing people to barely make it a day.
Sakala said government should look at the matter, and possibly consider bringing it down, or hike by minimal amount so as to avoid constraining the operators, and consumers.
He said it does not matter as to when it was last revised, the increase should at least be by K300. He said as much as it was revised about 12 years ago, it is important the current situation is considered.
“The increment could be necessary, but let us look at what percentage we can put so that it does not have a negative impact on other issues around,” said Sakala.
