How MPs will share out Sh35.2 billion CDF cash

Members of the National Assembly yesterday released a new schedule of how they want to share out Sh35.2 billion allocated for the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

In the MPs’ schedule, constituencies with higher poverty index like Kwale, Kilifi, Wajir, Mandera, Kitui, Makueni and Turkana counties won big, with many of them getting over Sh150 million each in the next financial year.

In their submissions, Sh23.8 billion will be shared equally among all the 290 constituencies, Sh1.7 billion will be for emergencies and Sh7.9 billion will be spent based on the poverty index of the constituencies. About Sh1.7 billion will be retained at the national level for the CDF Board to run the secretariat.

This comes just four months after the High Court declared the fund illegal, and at a time when MPs are engaged in a litigation overdrive to save the multi-billion shilling fund that is used to implement projects in their constituencies.

The money will be released any day from next Tuesday as MPs race against time to spend the billions before expiry of the year-long ultimatum issued by the High Court for them to either abolish the fund or regularise it.

The MPs will share the money even after they denied the Senate a Sh1 billion fund for oversight in the counties. The rejection has forced the Senate to push for a referendum to enhance their powers.

The lawmakers have also allocated Sh2 billion within the CDF plan to be used by the 47 woman representatives. The women MPs finally have a kitty to address gender issues, including equality and the fight against female genital mutilation.

As such, Woman Rep Rachel Shebesh, with 17 constituencies in Nairobi County, will control Sh119 million. Kakamega’s Rachel Ameso follows with Sh84 million at her disposal given that the county has 12 constituencies.

Bungoma County, with nine constituencies under Reginalda Wanyonyi, will have Sh63 million for affirmative action. Lamu and Isiolo, with two constituencies each, will get Sh14 million.

In his budget speech a fortnight ago, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich noted that CDF would be used to implement national government programmes – a signal that the Jubilee administration was keen to retain the fund as part of the national government’s programmes, and would not be surrendered to governors to run county projects.

The national government projects that MPs are likely to use CDF to include the provision of bursaries.

Constituencies that got the largest shares, according to the schedule, are Mandera South (Sh201 million), Turkana West (Sh187 million), Kinango (Sh177 million), Magarini (Sh165 million), Mandera North (Sh164 million), Mandera West (Sh160 million), Banissa and Makueni (equal share of Sh159 million), Turkana North (Sh157 million), Lafey (Sh156 million), Lunga Lunga (Sh153 million), Kitui South (Sh152 million) and Wajir North (Sh150 million).

SMALLEST ALLOCATIONS

The smallest allocations went to Lamu East (Sh97 million), Embakasi West (Sh98 million), Embakasi Central (Sh99.5 million), Makadara (Sh99.5 million), Starehe (Sh100 million), Embakasi East (Sh100 million), Kisumu Central (Sh101 million), Langata (Sh101 million), Kamukunji (Sh102 million), Jomvu (Sh103 million) and Embakasi North (Sh104 million).

Majority Leader Aden Duale’s constituency, Garissa Township, got Sh106 million, while Minority Leader Francis Nyenze’s Kitui West got Sh108 million.

CDF Committee Chairman Moses Lessonnet, who represents Eldama Ravine constituency, got Sh109 million while the chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, Mutava Musyimi (Mbeere South), got Sh124 million.

The schedule release is likely to stoke rivalry with senators, who are yet to forgive the National Assembly for denying them Sh1 billion for oversight.

The senators do not have a fund and they have been threatening the National Assembly with rejection of the CDF Act should an attempt to review it seek input from the Senate or concurrence from the Speaker.

The ruling of the High Court that termed CDF unconstitutional was responsible for the MPs’ decision to also slash Sh1.3 billion from the Judiciary’s budget.

Meanwhile, a new CDF Act will be ready by August this year. Board Chairman Mr Elias Mbau said this follows a court ruling recommending changes to the Act to conform with the Constitution.

Mr Mbau, who was speaking in Nyeri during a public participation event on the CDF kitty, said although the court had recommended amendment of four clauses in the Act, the board and the National Assembly’s select committee on the fund had resolved to enact a new law.

“We have involved the public in almost all counties and they support the kitty. And to cushion the fund from future interference by busybodies who may take advantage of any loophole in the existing Act, we decided to enact a new law,” said Mbau.

Additional reporting by Job Weru