CHIRUNDU Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Committee Chairperson Robson Sianduba has implored successful loan applicants not to squander money on liabilities like cars.

Mr Sianduba observes that most of the successful loan applicants in the past allegedly spent money from the CDF loans on liabilities like motor vehicles and other unproductive business ventures which have led them to default the loan payments.

The Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) reports that Mr Sianduba said this when his CDF Committee met the 2024 CDF loan applicants during the field loan appraisal visit in Nkandabbwe and Ng’ombe Ilede Wards of Chirundu constituency respectively.

He reiterated President Hakainde Hichilema’s desire of empowering citizens with soft loans with a minimal interest rate of 5 per cent under the expanded CDF and other empowerment programmes.

Mr Sianduba however, expressed worry at the rate people who obtained CDF loans are defaulting.

And speaking at the same meeting, Chirundu Town Council Chairperson Nevers Muchindu said the committee has decided to physically meet CDF loans applicants in order to verify information they submit to the local authority.

Mr Muchindu noted that the previous CDF committee was not strict by awarding loans to applicants based on their submissions without verifying their localities and proposed business ventures which may have contributed to low loan payments.

He encouraged CDF loan applicants to encourage the Head of State by adhering to their proposed business plans as it was the basis the committee used in awarding loans.

The newly reconstituted Chirundu Constituency Development Fund (CDF) committee that included Chirundu District Commissioner has intensified CDF loan field appraisal by engaging with applicants directly unlike in the past in a bid to curb bogus entrepreneurs and cooperatives from accessing the loans.