K30M ARTISTES’ FUND NOT FOR PF CADRES, SAYS CHITOTELA
THEK30 million empowerment programme for artistes, was not meant for Patriotic Front (PF) sympathisers but for every artiste, says Tourism and Arts Minister Ronald Chitotela.
Mr Chitotela said that the project was beyond any political affiliation and was given based on people's applications not according to their political leaning.
The minister was speaking when he featured on “Let the People Talk” programme on Radio Phoenix yesterday.
He said the programme was a huge success as the art sector was one of the catalysts for promoting local tourism.
“The empowerment was beyond any political affiliation and that all parts of the country were catered for,” Mr Chitotela said.
In August last year, Government launched the Presidential Choral and Arts Festival and the K30 million youth empowerment scheme meant to assist artists during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following the launch, 152 artistes in various categories were empowered from the K30 million out of the over 1, 000 artists that had applied for the funds.
The youth empowerment scheme targeting arts was one of the interventions that were structured to provide relief in the advent of the Covid-19 pandemic.
KONKOLA
Copper Mines (KCM) has warned its commercial partners and the public over a document circulated by unscrupulous people purporting that the Company has issued a tender for some mining equipment.
KCM’s Security Department has launched investigations in the matter to ascertain the origins of the fake document.
KCM General Manager Corporate Affairs, Shapi Shachinda said at no time had KCM issued any tenders for procurement of the listed heavy-duty pumps and underground rock drill. Mr Shachinda said the document being circulated through social media was the work of criminally-minded characters who were hell-bent on causing panic in the market, financially harm KCM partners and bring the Company’s name into disrepute and public ridicule.
KCM will also engage the Zambia Police in trying to track down the originators of the dubious document for the law to take its course.
“This should be dismissed with the contempt its deserves,” he said in a statement.
Mr Shachinda said KCM and its subsidiaries, the KCM
SmelterCo Limited and Konkola Mineral Resources Limited, had established and systematic ways of procuring goods and services from old or new business partners through recognized channels and not via social media.
He said the Company encourages people seeking to do business with KCM to contact the Commercial department and not engage unauthorized third parties as doing so would be to the detriment of their business interests and KCM would not held liable for any losses that may be incurred in such “dubious transactions.”
“KCM will also engage the Zambia Police in trying to track down the originators of the dubious document for the law to take its course. Needless to state that KCM reserves its rights under the circumstances and wishes to state that it will protect and enforce its rights to their fullest extent,” said Mr Shachinda.