2 July 2009
COMMUNITY Development and Social Services Minister, Michael Kaingu has advised the physically challenged people to respect the Government and desist from protesting at State House.
On Tuesday evening Physically challenged people protested outside State House entrance seeking audience with President Rupiah Banda so that the Government could give them money to get off the streets.
Mr Kaingu who addressed the group at his ministry yesterday said the physically challenged should not be protesting because they never worked for the money they were asking for.
He, however, advised the group to be humble and respect him and his Government, especially that they were soliciting for help and not demanding what was owed to them.
The minister said there was procedure to follow before anyone, including himself could get money out of Government accounts regardless of the problem.
"As a minister who is here to look after your affairs, I cannot just send you away, instead, I will do everything possible to look for money to help improve your life in any way that my Government can," he said.
Mr Kaingu urged the protesters to be patient and give the Government up to tomorrow to source for the money, which could be used to help them.
Jameson Chilekwa said in an in terview for the group, that the minister had publicly said the physcically challenged should not be given alms because the Government had set up a K17 billion disability fund to assist them.
Mr Chilekwa said members of his group met Mr Kaingu more than three months ago and were promised loans amounting to K5 million each but the money was not forthcoming.
He said the group followed up the issue but were told they could not be given the loans because they had no collateral and would instead be given grants of about K2 million each but even that money was not given.
Mr Chilekwa said his group was prompted to protest outside State House because their problem was not being resolved.
On Tuesday evening, Mr Kaingu had to plead with the group that had gone to State House to leave the premises and instead go to his office for the ministry to consider their demands.
The minister who was accompanied by of his deputy John Chinyanta and Lusaka Division police chief Greenwell Ng'uni had to arrange for buses to ferry the disabled from State House to their homes.
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