ACTIONS NOT WORDS, NEEDED FROM RULING PARTY - FODEP

FOUNDATION for Democratic Process (FODEP) has advised the UPND to actualize their words because they are now in government and should not behave like they are an

opposition party.

FODEP Executive Director George Chimembe told the Daily Nation in an exclusive interview on Tuesday that the President and his Administration should leave pronouncements for those in the opposition now that they are in government.

Commenting on the Vice President’s advice to youths on how to be beneficiaries of the empowerment package as provided for in the 2022 Budget, Mr Chimembe said he expected a programme of action in relation to how the new dawn administration is going to develop the skills of the youth.

The Vice President advised the youths to acquire necessary skills as they position themselves to benefit from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) which has since been increased from K1.6 million to K25.7 million per constituency.

“We commend the sentiments attributed to the Vice President, I think that is the correct trajectory that we should follow as a nation. But our only problem is that you know the Vice President and even sometimes the President, they want to speak as if they are still in opposition. What we expected from the Vice President was actually a programme of action in relation to how they are going to build or develop the skills of the youths or the cadres. Because it won’t be done in a vacuum,” he said.

“There must be some sort of programme of action that they will embark on that will bring on board these cadres or these youths prior to releasing the money to them. So we expect action not just pronouncements from the Vice President. So we expected more apart from her than just saying youths must acquire skills. What are they going to do exactly in terms of developing these youths, putting in place a program that will assist the youths acquire these skills,” he said.

Mr Chimembe also advised government to be more proactive and provide guidance.