.KAMBWILI

By MAYA NTANDA and CHATULA KAMPO –

ABOUT K20 million will be disbursed under the youth empowerment programme this year, Youth and Sport Minister Chishimba Kambwili has said.

Mr Kambwili said when he paid a courtesy call on Kitwe District Commissioner Elias Kamanga yesterday that K23 million was given out last year, and that Government intended to disburse K20 million to empower the youth in 2014.

He warned those that would fail to pay back the funds of prosecution, because doing so would be considered as fraud or obtaining money by false pretences.

Mr Kambwili, who is on a tour of the Copperbelt Province to explain Government programmes on youth empowerment and job creation, also paid a courtesy call on Kalulushi District Commissioner Mulenga Kampamba.

And Mr Kamanga said many young people were anxious to benefit from the youth empowerment fund.

Meanwhile, Mr Kambwili has urged United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema to be truthful and avoid conduct that may bring confusion in the country.

He said on Monday, when he paid a courtesy call on Copperbelt Minister Mwenya Musenge, that the opposition leader should learn to tell people the truth on issues affecting the country.

He castigated Mr Hichilema over his remarks that Government had failed to pay former Mpelembe Drilling Company in Luanshya.

Mr Kambwili was reacting to a statement attributed to Mr Hichililema on Radio Icengelo in Kitwe last week that Government owed the former workers at Mpelembe Drilling some money.

He said Government was not the cause of the suffering of the people who had served under Mpelembe Drilling Company.

He said the company Mr Hichilema worked for, Grant Thornton, which was the receiver, was the one which privatised Luanshya Mine.

“Government is not owing Mpelembe Drilling workers any money. I challenge HH to tell the people of Zambia how much RAMCOZ was sold for and how much his company got for liquidating Luanshya Mines.

“I am reliably informed that his company was paid in full but some employees from Mpelembe Drilling have not yet been paid, why is he blaming Government and telling the nation lies?” he said.

The minister also called on the party members to stop fighting among themselves.

Mr Kambwili urged all the members and party officials to unite and remain loyal to the party and not individuals.