MPs: Increase cash for constituency projects

 

Homa Bay MP Opondo Kaluma addressing the Press after a public hearing on the review of the Constituency Development Fund Act in Kisumu. He wants CDF money incresaed instead of scrapping it off. [PHOTO: COLLINS ODUOR/STANDARD]

Two MP from Nyanza region want the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) increased above the current 2.5 per cent of the national revenue.

MPs Opondo Kaluma (Homa Bay) and Joseph Ndiege (Suna West) said infrastructure budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Education should be reverted back to the CDF to facilitate infrastructural development in schools.

According to the legislators, the ministry was allocated Sh40 billion in the current financial year for infrastructural development in learning institutions but very little has been done.

The MPs also challenged Senators and Governors to desist from making defamatory remarks over the fund, adding that the kitty is a national government resource, which can not be wired to the counties even if CDF was scrapped off.

Speaking at the public hearing on the review of CDF Act, and way forward for the fund in Kisumu yesterday, Mr Kaluma said infrastructural developments in rural schools have been neglected by the government, and that CDF has been the only saviour.

"Before the coming of the CDF, everyone can attest to the fact that rural schools had mud walls and floors. Pupils from the poor backgrounds could only attend schools through harambees (fund-raising), which were not even predictable," said Kaluma.

Mr Ndiege said the contention over the fund has been politicised, with those opposed to the existence of the fund thinking that the kitty was giving MPs advantage over other elected leaders.

COURT RULING

"We do not mind who controls the fund. Our concern is to have more and visible development in the entire country, and CDF has been doing just that irrespective of who controls the fund," he said.

The High Court in February suspended the constitutional clause establishing CDF for a period of one year. The court found that the CDF Act has been operational unlawfully, and directed parliament to find a way of amending the Act.