Mushimba aims to empower women, youths
By ROGERS KALERO PATRIOTIC Front (PF) Kankoyo Member of Parliament (MP) Brian Mushimba has said he will set the stage for poverty alleviation in the constituency by embarking on various projects that would help to empower women and youths in various ways.
Mr Mushimba said, among the projects that he would embark on, would include the chicken rearing project for women and would also help youths to obtain mining licenses so that they could start operating as small scale miners and do business legally.
Speaking in an interview in Mufulira yesterday, Mr Mushimba said, he had bought 4,000 chicks worth more than K100,000 to kick start the women’s chicken rearing project.
For the youths involved in illegal mining activities, the Kankoyo MP said he had already acquired two licenses for them so that they could start doing business legally and deal with mining companies to get a better and meaningful income.
"Because they have been doing business illegally, some business men have been exploiting them by buying whatever products at a cheaper price, but with a mining license, they will be able to deal with mining companies and get meaningful income from their sweat," Mr Mushimba said.
Mr Mushimba, who is also Transport and Communication Minister, said it was an uphill battle to deal with the poverty levels in the constituency, but he was determined to reduce this in the area.
"When you look at the three constituencies in Mufulira, Kantanshi, Mufulira Central and Kankoyo, my constituency is the most poverty stricken because most labourers (Ba Chibombe bombe) in the mines used to live in Kankoyo, while in Mufulira Central and Kantanshi, that is where some bosses in the mines used to live.
He also said road rehabilitation was one of the areas which needed urgent attention because the state of the roads in the constituency was bad.
He said Kankoyo constituency had been given 25kilometres of roads to be done under the Copperbelt 400 and was sure that once that was done, the constituency would receive a face-lift.
"The other area of concern is the bad state of the roads in the constituency which needs urgent attention. We have received 25kilometres of roads to be done under the Copperbelt 400. If this is done, then we will have better roads in the constituency," he said.