Former vice president for United Party for National Development – UPND Geoffrey Bwalya Mwamba popularly known for GBM has donated K80 000 to Kasama district marketeers with the aim of boosting their capital.
He told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in an interview that he has donated K40,000 to marketers at Chambeshi market, K30,000 to Chikumanino marketeers while K10, 000 has been received by the small and medium size business community.
GMB said the donation is part of his empowerment programmes to boost capital for marketeers in the district. He has explained that marketeers play a vital role towards the growth of the economy through the taxes they pay to government.
He said most traders in the markets are women who support families hence the need to empower them with capital to help expand their businesses. He has however promised to work with the people of Kasama and has urged traders to to put the money to it’s good use.
GBM was recently suspended by the opposition UPND, an action that led to Mwamba ditching the party and later rejoining the ruling Patriotic Front – PF. He left the main opposition party on allegations of being sidelined by the leaderships of UPND.
GBM also disclosed that most of the project’s that he undertook in the UPND party where funded from his own funds. And when asked how much he spent on the projects during his time with the UPND, Mwamba refused to review the amount of money used saying the information will be disseminated on a letter date.
Meanwhile, GBM told ZBT that his move to support Kasama marketeers as a way of helping boost their capital adding that residents of Kasama have been helpful to supporting him both in business and personal life. “Am helping people of Kasama not because of politics or trying to win trust from PF, my aim is to help them enhance their businesses, and they are the people that have been supporting me in becoming the member of Parliament so I can not reject now,” he said.