By Sunday Chilufya Chanda
The recent revelation by Minister of Finance Honourable Margaret Mwanakatwe that all the 156 constituencies in Zambia have received the 2018 Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is a reflection of the importance the Patriotic Front Government of His Excellency Edgar Chagwa Lungu attaches to each and every constituency of Zambia regardless of their geographical location or political inclination.
As Hon Mwanakatwe highlighted, this is the first time in quite a long-time that the Treasury has not lagged behind in releasing resources for the CDF. This is a classic model of “disbursement without discrimination” by the PF Administration.
CDF & PF Commitment to Vision 2030
This positive development like many others, signifies the PF’s commitment towards accelerating development efforts towards Vision 2030 without leaving anyone behind.
It is must be emphasised that the common thread that runs throughout the fabric of the PF Manifesto is the uncompromising resolve to improve the lives of our people.
It is against this background that all PF efforts are aimed at attaining the Vision 2030 against all odds.
The Vision 2030 is a long-term plan that expresses the aspirations of the Zambian people to live in a strong and dynamic, middle income industrial nation that provides opportunities for improving the wellbeing of all.
It embodies values of socio-economic justice underpinned by the principles of: Gender-responsive, sustainable development; Democracy; Respect for human rights; Good traditional and family values; Positive attitude towards work; Peaceful co-existence; and Public-private partnerships (PPPs).
Our encouragement to ALL Members of Parliament from the Ruling Party as well as the opposition
It is against this background that we wish to urge all MPs from the PF and the opposition to ensure that the CDF is utilised on socio-economic activities that will lead to the realization of the Vision 2030 and consequently contribute to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all Zambians.
Further, the PF urges MPs to ensure that the utilisation of CDF is all-inclusive and that it should be used on activities that are focused on improving the lives of the most vulnerable in society that include: female-headed households, child-headed households, persons with disabilities, orphaned children, the chronically ill and elderly people.
This is because the PF Government still remains resolved to reducing poverty and vulnerability among its citizens.
Utilisation of CDF on social protection programmes or systems that contribute significantly to improving lives of the most vulnerable would also be worthwhile; as would enhancing income opportunities for poor and marginalised groups in our constituencies across the country.
The release of CDF to all constituencies in Zambia is a clear testimony that the PF Government believes in inclusive human development for all Zambians.
CDF for Human Development
Human development involves expansion of human freedoms to live long, healthy and creative lives and to actively participate in shaping equitable and sustainable development.
As people are both beneficiaries and drivers of human development, there is need to invest in them to enhance their human capacities in self-employment and wage employment that leads to socio-economic growth.
This also entails that people should be educated (to include formal and non-formal skills development), healthy, have a reasonable standard of living and feel safe.
This explains why the PF Government is heavily investing in education, health, agriculture and financial infrastructure.
The PF believes that improved education and skills development are instrumental in creating societies that are better able to respond to social and economic development challenges they face.
CDF, therefore, can be used towards supplementing government efforts in the provision of formal and non-formal education. This is because the PF acknowledges that the availability of a skilled workforce is necessary to support the transition of all economic sectors towards highly productive activities, raise labour productivity, attract investment into the country, reduce poverty and build resilience in the economy.
Issues of lifelong learning, continuing professional development and knowledge production, alongside innovation, are key to building the capabilities of individuals and society as whole and achieving gender equality.
The Unfortunate Spiteful Silence & Twisted Tales of Detractors
Unsurprisingly, not everyone is happy with the timely disbursement of CDF.
The envious and spiteful silence of a particular section of the opposition has been deafening; it appears their caustic tongues are allergic to acknowledging anything good done by the PF for the good of the people.
When they have spoken about the disbursement of the 2018 CDF, it has been out of malice.
Some mischievous opposition elements have twisted the good will of the PF Government and they have lied to people in their respective constituencies by crediting the disbursement of the CDF to their Party Life President! Really? What cheek! What desperate deceit!
However as bizarre as their, behaviour may be, it should not shock anybody as such chicanery is expected of their character.
When a person spends twenty years opposing everything and anything just for the sake of opposing and when they spend more than two decades of their life inflating their ego and insulting just for the sake of trying to sound clever; their hearts become embittered and they stop seeing the good in others.
Their conscience becomes seared, and they ascribe to themselves a monopoly of wisdom as they simultaneously seek to misappropriate the good deeds and best practice of others.
President Lungu’s Commitment to all Zambians regardless of political Affiliation
On our part, the PF Government of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu continues to work hard for all Zambians regardless of whether or not they voted for the Patriotic Front.
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu is President for all.
He has a heart for everyone- even those who make a morbid living out of deriding and disparaging his goodwill.
He has the rare virtue of repaying good to those who seek evil against him.
This noble quality of our Head of State is infectious and it permeates right through to the Ministry of Finance and other Ministries and Government Departments under the PF Administration.
It is against this background that we salute the Minister of Finance, Hon. Margaret Mwanakatwe for releasing CDF to all constituencies; and we as PF believe that if these funds are utilised effectively as outlined above, Zambia’s Human Development Index will continue improving.
Disbursement without discrimination; leaving no one behind- a PF ethos.
The Author is PF Media Director At the Patriotic Front Secretariat Lusaka
PLEASE MAY WE HAVE SOME OF THAT MEDICINE YOU ARE TAKING BECAUSE ALL WE SEE IS HUNGER, POTHOLED ROADS, JOBLESS PEOPLE…..
Be Davies is trying hard to bring professionalism to PF by writing those manifesto achievements with help from that FDD Antonio , BUT this guy Sunday is smearing graffiti on SG’s articles.
Mutamfyeni
Firstly with this government, announcing is one thing. Actually disbursing is another thing. Secondly, some constituencies have backlogs of funds that have not been paid for a long time while others have been consistently receiving these funds. Are you saying you have paid arrears for the other constituencies as well?
Call it FAKE NEWS but Sunday Chanda was with the State house when writing this article and he even missed his medication! Stup!dy boy.
WONDERFUL TONIGHT!
Sunday Chanda and ‘generous’ state house PS Christa Kalulu. FB
Sorry with a State House PS (These guys are useless, we have been there before, Humble man -ECL , Christian Nation, Designer shoes, womaniser and thief ECJ, Stup!dy *****s Super Kenny, So tell no more rubbish Chagwa and the dudes)
Margaret looks ‘generous’.
WONDERFUL TONIGHT!
Sunday Chanda and ‘generous’ state house PS Christa Kalulu
Congratulations to the PF government for disbursing this money. No those of us in opposition constituencies will just watch and see how this money was and will be spent
Mazabuka has not been receiving this fund since 2015, wat is your say
“Disbursement without discrimination and leaving no one behind.”
Another great piece by Sunday Chilufya Chanda.
@Sunday you can’t congratulate yourself, buwelewele ubo.
Nostro as a Government we are congratulating ourselves.
This is like a father congratulating himself for buying mealie meal at the end of the month. PF have brought the country down so much to the point that they celebrate achieving what was ‘usual business’ under MMD. That’s really really sad.
The detractors are being shamed everyday
Great news for us the citizens who needs the services in our communities
No need to blow trumpets over this. It’s waste of space. When it comes to revenue collection, invariably the state does not discriminate. We call it ploughing back where you reap.
It’s like a father jumping up and down just because he has bought food for his family. So who else does this Monday Chanda expect to disburse CDF? What the government has done is good but it’s expected of it because that’s exactly it’s duty baba. Chanda your job is really a difficult one.
Tell McPherson to stay away we hear he’s got long sticky fingers
That is the job of the party in government iwee kolwe.
I think these gods of society are too drunk to see, well if you are in PF these are the best of times if you are an ordinary citizen like me these are the worst of time. Well life must go on but i hope these gods of society are immortal and will live forever.
They think all belongs to them and we have to praise sing them to survive. Dem evil men will answer to the Almighty.
Disbursement is one thing and accountability is another thing. If controls are not put in place, this money will be thrown in a bottomless pit like cash social funds. Each dime should be put to it’s intended purpose. Otherwise, the levels of corruption are extremely high in this nation. It is pointless disbursing money on people who are not accountable. Crooks will found a way of pouncing on that money. Money should not be released anyhow minus putting controls in place. At the end of the day, even if, auditor’s report is produced, nothing tangible comes out. This CDF money will be abused and misused in the absence of controls.
No need to read this gibberish by this PF demon, this chap comes from a long line of thieves, ask the elder brother who is also a pompwe, they are all the same as the debarred convicted thriving lawyer who stole from a widow and sold Zambia cold storage to foreigners
What a silly writeup from one of the 3 lieing chandas …..I am a bit confused, which silly chanda is this one, the one who used to insult sata and pf , or is this the one who told us about the liyai killing of a PF by upnd or is this the other one who told us about fuel at k5/l after lungus Saudi visit ????
GRZ collects land rates from all structures and other taxes in all provinces so are supposed to provide development funds….
Mazabuka const.has not been receiving this fund since 2015, wats the congratulations all about, clear the arrears first and we will congratulate you
Sunday Chanda, another great piece! Keep the information flowing
Awesome…CDF to the tune of K1.6m per Constituency for all 156 Constituencies at a go!
Sunday, the common strand that runs through the PF administration is CORRUPTION! No amount of washing with jik will wash away the stench and tag from an inept, thieving and corrupt administration. Fire tenders, ambulances, ZAFFICO, NRDC, inflated road contracts, etc, etc are ample proof.
Is it party money or government money?
2019 is the year Sunday chanda will be fired from his position he is doing more harm than good to his pay masters
He’s the reason ECL has been exposed as one of the benefactors of privatization now he’s championing for a commission of inquiry into privatization which took place 20 years ago in the hope of swaying attention from ECL as we are speaking people are still digging deep into this issue one wonders what else they’ll find hidden in the dusty files of privatization
We shall continue to support His Excellence the President ECL for his good heart and hard work
Sunday Chanda always makes sense in his writing. He has given the UPND a good and sleepless nights in 2018. Hope the President appoint him to Parliament in 2019.
Yeah. The opportunity came up and given to Nakachinda. Obviously Chanda is not held in very high esteem.
This fcuk for real has a few raptured wires linking his tougue and brain.How do you collect money from the citizenry in all manner of taxation as a goverment and then paint a picture of doing them a favour in the disbursement of the same for national development,this issue of distribution of resources is a bare minimum for any goverment.Self praise by people like sondo chanda is inspired by those that have a thought process that eminates from the large intestine.