KAMBWILI ROASTED OVER PEIF TALK
CHISHIMBA Kambwili has been roundly condemned for demanding that the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund be halted.
Both opposition leader, Cosmo Mumba and marketeers have condemned Mr Kambwili for his remarks, saying he just wanted ordinary people to suffer.
Yesterday, National Traders and Marketeers Association of Zambia (NATMAZ) president Goodson Mofya advised Mr Kambwili to shut up if he had nothing better to say instead of challenging President Edgar Lungu to disclose the source of the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund (PEIF).
And National Revolution Party president Cosmo Mumba, says if Mr Kambwili was a man of integrity he should have criticised the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund while he was still in government.
Dr Mumba said Mr Kambwili was a hypocrite for criticising the Presidential Empowerment Initiative Fund (PEIF) when he was one of the campaign managers who toured all the 10 provinces and spearheaded the initiative.
He said sentiments attributed to Mr Kambwili were in bad taste as the PEIF was aimed at empowering poor Zambians.
Dr Mumba challenged the former government spokesperson to join his counterpart Mwenya Musenge or form his own party.
Dr Mumba said it was ridiculous for the former minister to demand to know the source of funds when President Edgar Lungu had pledged 10 percent of his salary and most of it came through well-wishers who sought discretion.
“Mr Kambwili was part of government and one of the campaign managers who toured all the 10 provinces and spearhead the initiative, he is a hypocrite of the worst kind. If he is a man of integrity he should have criticised the (PEIF) then, why speak now?
It is unfortunate and uncalled for, to criticise the initiative whose aim is to uplift poor Zambians’ lives. You cannot manage to disclose everyone who brought tissue, bananas or oranges and some well-wishers opt to remain anonymous.
“I think I commend comrade Mwenya Musenge for forming a political party, let Mr Kambwili join or form his own party,” he said.
And the NRP expressed condolences to the family of former Lusaka minister Charles Shawa whom Dr Mumba was with in the same ward and asked for God’s continued strength during bereavement.