A Choma resident Joe Muchindu has made shocking allegations against UPND officials on the dispersenssion of loans under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in Choma central constituency.
And Muchindu who is also a member of the ruling party has challenged civic leaders in the area to explain to the people of Choma central on the whereabouts of revolving funds from the loans allocated under the CDF which are given annually.
Speaking during an interaction with traditional leaders and UPND ward officials in Mutandalikke and Sikalongo wards in the constituency, Muchindu noted that government had pumped in a lot of funds to empower citizens through acquiring loans from CDF, but was quick to mention that in Choma, the purpose had not been achieved due to alleged mismanagement of the funds by some civic leaders.
Muchindu alleged that the loans are not given to people that have the capacity to pay back, but to those that are close to the civic leaders sitting in the CDF committees.
This is contrary to President Hakainde Hichilema’s emphasis that everyone should benefit from such incentives regardless of political inclination.
If it was only those linked to people sitting in CDF committees receiving who ruling party members, Muchindu wondered as to whether none UPND but Zambians received anything.
“Government has given out loans under CDF from the year it was increased in 2022 to date but Choma has not declared how much has been realized from the people that got loans because of bad representation in parliament and council,” he said.
Muchindu further stated that the community in Choma had not seen much even when the UPND government increased CDF due to bad leadership.
The concerned UPND member has challenged the leaders in the district to also show their achievements thus far, adding that there was less to talk about in terms of development.
“When President Hakainde Hichilema came to Choma, headmen and women were told to create cooperatives and clubs for them to benefit from CDF but this hasn’t happened because of having elected leaders who do not have a heart for the people,” Muchindu said.
Muchindu has since described the issue surrounding CDF in Choma as a scandal which needs to be investigated.
Meanwhile, Muchindu has urged the electorates in Choma Central to use the 2026 elections and reject leaders that have not helped them benefit CDF in the last five years.
Credit: Francis Chipalo
