*DONT POLITICIZE SOCIAL CASH TRANSFER-MWAMBA*

Community Development and Social Services Minister, Ms.Doreen Mwamba says the social cash transfer programme should not be politicized.

The Minister was reacting to those accusing her of distributing Social cash transfer to beneficiaries ahead of the Kabushi and Kwacha parliamentary by-elections in Ndola and Kitwe respectively.

Ms. Mwamba has emphazised that she is not on a campaign trail,but simply fufiling her mandate to ensure that social protection programmes are equitably distributed across the country, whether there is an election or not.

“Wheels of government should keep running with or without elections. Health services or schools are all running in Kabushi. Social cash transfers are part of regular government services and they should run as scheduled” Ms Mwamba further said.

The Minister has reminded those accusing her of campaigning that parliament is on recess, therefore, she as Minister, has an opportunity to monitor social protection programmes across the country.

“Social cash transfer is paid every second week of the second month. (bi-monthly). This is a routine payment schedule and Social Cash transfer by definition, should be timely and regular, therefore it should be paid as scheduled without fail or any delay as doing so would make beneficiaries backslide into poverty” she further said

Ms. Mwamba further clarified that her job is to simply witness the systematic disbursements of scheduled payments by technocrats and not personally conduct the payments.

She is saddened that selfish people want to disadvantage those that are suppose to get the funds in the name of politics.