Sh25b CDF cash too little, furious MPs tell National Treasury

Eldama Ravine MP Moses Lessonet addresses members of the press after a consultative meeting with a section of Eldama Ravine Constituency residents. MPs are angry at the Treasury for allocating each constituency only Sh81.2 million in Constituency Development Fund for the 2016/2017 financial year. (PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU/ STANDARD)

MPs are angry at the Treasury for allocating each constituency only Sh81.2 million in Constituency Development Fund for the 2016/2017 financial year.

The MPs yesterday claimed that the  money, which was allocated in line with a court ruling that decreed CDF was only entitled to Sh25 billion, was ‘too little’ to implement projects in the constituencies.

The CDF share was reduced from the initial Sh35 billion following a court case thatsought to declare the fund unconstitutional.

“The allocation of Sh25 billion we have shared is due to the ruling of the court. We don’t want to talk very much about the Sh10 billion that was denied by the courts since the matter is still in court, but we know something good will happen to the Sh10 billion,” said the chairman of the National Assembly CDF Committee, Moses Lessonet (Eldama Ravine), while informing MPs of the allocation.

In September, MPs passed an amendment to the CDF law allowing Treasury to directly fund constituency projects as a way of circumventing the court ruling.

The legislators also passed an amendment that provides that all constituencies share CDF funds equally, removing a provision that allowed part of the money to be shared according to the constituency poverty index. The chairman found himself in trouble with angry members, who accused him of ‘negotiating’ a raw deal and allowing the Treasury to cheat them out of CDF funds.

According to MPs, the law states that constituencies must get a share that is not less that 2.5 per cent of the total budget, and the allocated figure was much less.

“The chairman cannot be in order to inform the House that he accepted a lower figure than the statutory figure. CDF is not less than 2.5 per cent of the budget and Sh81 million is not that figure. It is less by about Sh40 million. He cannot be in order to have negotiated an agreement with the minister (Treasury Cabinet Secretary) contrary to the law. The government must follow the law,” said Leader of Minority Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem).

“The CDF committee must call an urgent meeting between us and the Executive. Let us tell the Executive that we cannot accept anything below 2.5 per cent,” he added.

“What we are getting is a raw deal. We may not be able to accomplish the projects with the amount of resources given to our constituencies,” said Joseph M’meruaki (Igembe North).

Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi directed the CDF committee to prepare a report on the formula that was used to arrive at the allocations.

“The committee should meet and interrogate whatever he is getting then table the report here so that members have an opportunity to interrogate that report. We need to see a report that the House will either reject or adopt and send the report back to the drawing board. It is a better route than you sneaking in a document,” said the Speaker.

“We have never received Sh81 million. I regret that we are getting the lowest amount. The Sh81 million is not a good amount. Last year, the lowest constituency got Sh100 million,” said Katoo ole Metito (Kajiado South).

The CDF chairman said the Treasury had already sent Sh14 billion to the CDF board.