Africa-Press – Zambia. President Hakainde Hichilema says there is a deliberate ploy to block citizens from accessing Constituency Development Fund (CDF). The UPND Government has increased the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from K1.6 million to K25.7 million per constituency.
President Hichilema on Sunday evening met officials from his governing party the United Party for National Development (UPND) in Livingstone to discuss among other issues access to Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
The Head of State is in Livingstone to welcome Rwandan President Paul Kagame who is in Zambia for a state visit. In the meeting with UPND officials in the Tourist Capital, President Hichilema charged that there is a deliberate ploy to block citizens from accessing CDF.
The President said he was aware that there are concerns relating to accessing CDF among stakeholders. President Hichilema said some strange conditions like cooperatives being in existence for three years even when they were just newly formed are some of the concerns relating to accessing CDF. He said the New Dawn Government wants equity when it comes to accessing CDF in constituencies.
“This evening (Sunday), we held a meeting with the UPND party officials here in Livingstone. We addressed various concerns and stated that every citizen out there has placed their hope on us and that we are working to create jobs and business opportunities,” President Hichilema posted on his facebook page.
“During the address we stated that we are keen followers of social media and that we are listening attentively. We have read with dismay, issues to do with access to CDF where some strange conditions like cooperatives being in existence for three years even when they were just newly formed. This is a deliberate ploy to block our citizens from accessing CDF. The Cabinet has approved that this is not the way to go as it deprives those who were never allowed to do business in the past regime. We want equity and this we will ensure.”
He said:”During the engagement, we also stated that no one should be given a government contract when outside of the constituency, district or indeed province. The stay of contracts within these key areas stated will lead to local cash flow and that is how the economy will be run going forward.” President Hichilema urged UPND officials to preserve the ruling party.
“We also emphasised that we are working to ensure that Zambia can be united and that we have to join hands in ensuring that this comes to fruition. We won the 2021 elections because of all of you citizens through UPND as a tool and we appealed to the party leadership not to destroy what they created and that is UPND which is fighting so hard to unite and end lawlessness in the country. We are grateful to you all for the votes you gave us in 2021 and the support you continue to give us and with our clear intent, we will run this country better,” he said.
President Hichilema added that Zambia was getting better in relation to peace and harmony. “We haven’t forgotten the past trauma that this country was subjected to including teargas canisters, jails and complete shutdown of both the economy and freedoms but we ask you all party officials and general citizenry to not accept the divisive nature of those not willing to build. In August, 2021, we all made a decision to set our country on a different path and you chose us to lead and we are confident that Zambia is getting better and indeed will be better. May God bless you all and May God bless our country,” he concluded.
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