First Lady Christine Kaseba Sata has advised opposition to tone down on criticism regarding the K1.5 billion allocated to her office because it’s not her personal money.
Dr Kaseba Sata said the money announced in the national budget is meant for paying salaries for support staff and fund programmes and activities related to the Office of the First Lady.
“The people you are seeing with me here have to be paid,” Dr. Kaseba Sata said, “the vehicles I am using have to be serviced and besides that, we have a lot of activities which need to be funded using the same K1.5 billion that has been allocated to my office in the 2013 budget.”
The First Lady was speaking at a media briefing at Wusakile Mine Hospital in Kitwe on Wednesday after launching the cervical cancer screening centre which has been named after her.
Dr Kaseba said the K1.5 billion is not enough compared to the many activities and programmes that have to be funded using the same money.
She however commended government for considering apportioning some funds in the 2013 budget to her office.
Dr Kaseba said previously, she used to depend on funds from the Office of the President when travelling within and outside the country on duty.