This comes after over 60 people who applied for loans from 2020 in Thyolo expressed concerns that they are yet to access them, a thing NEEF spokesperson Whyton Kapasule indicated they need to re-apply due to change of application procedures and processes. 

 

Kapasule says since rebranding in 2021, the Fund has disbursed K36 billion in the country and K532 million in Thyolo alone, adding that those yet to receive might have applied before rebranding. 

 

Kapasule has since urged the concerned to revisit their offices spread across the district to apply again. 

 

"After the rebranding, we changed the procedures and processes that we required people to re-apply because they used the old forms that are now non-existent and everything is a little bit new. 

 

"But now pertaining to disbursement in Thyolo, its not true that we are not disbursing in Thyolo. In fact, we have done substantially we in Thyolo because currently we have disbursed K532 million alone," he said. 

 

Some groups representatives Paul Chikapa, Yohane Jackson, Robert Khoromana, Chisomo Khamulire and Frank Mahara from Goliati, Thekerani and Thyolo boma told Zodiak that their hope for improved businesses and lives has now been compromised. 

 

Meanwhile, economist Betchani Tchereni says NEEF's reasons are not convincing, asking it to consider the people the same way it is following up with those who obtained the loans before it rebranded in 2021.

 

"The best way is NEEF should organise to help those who applied earlier because their applications have delayed maybe they should help to process them faster. This is because they have been given false hopes and in that way it cannot be good," Tchereni pleaded. 

 

According to Kapasule, NEEF is currently spreading across its offices in the remote areas for easy access to loans.