By ADRIAN MWANZA
THERE is no need for the minister of Youth, Sport and Arts Elvis Nkandu to politicise the issue of empowerment given to musicians as the matter was signed and has clear guidelines on the repayment programme, singer Dandy Krazy alias Wesley Chibambo has said.
He said that he was sure that the whole issue was politically motivated because it was not making any sense and just a few were being targeted.
Mr Chibambo in an interview said it was not the job of the ministry to pursue erring musicians but the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) who were tasked to distribute and disburse the funds to the musicians and other stakeholders.
He said it was shocking that a whole lot of a minister and Permanent Secretary were commenting over the matter when the issue was being dealt with by the CEEC which had its own technocrats tracking the payment system.
“It’s wrong for the minister and the PS to talk about this matter because CEEC are the custodians of this venture and all the records are at CEEC,” he said. Mr Chibambo said he suspected politics at play because most artists had signed contracts and most of them had about three years to fully settle the debts.
He said that there was a contract in place and that as long as the artists had not defaulted there was no need to be worried because they were legal documents to support them.
“CEEC is the one that is supposed to talk about the empowerment and not the minister or Permanent Secretary because it is not in their jurisdiction,” he said.
He said that he sensed political persecution in whole this because the new dawn government put the artists at ransom.
Mr Chibambo said that it was unfortunate that the minister had indicated that some artists were hiding and did not want to pay their dues.
“I just want to urge the minister not to politicise this matter but let the due process take course not choking the artists because they are perceived to have worked with the previous regime,” he said.
Mr Chibambo urged his fellow artists to just stick to the contractual obligation and not engage in illegality.
Mr Chibambo also appealed to the government to consider debt swap for the musicians that faced challenges to settle their dues.
