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{
    "id": 1194385,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1194385/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 357,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tinderet, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Julius Melly",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The impact of the CDF in this country is quite immense. I know the Government has a number of funds that are sent to the people. The one which is very impactful and has affected every household and individual in this country is the NG-CDF. I want to give a list of a few projects, especially in my constituency and even in the neighbouring areas. First of all, I want to bring to the attention of the courts that the NG-CDF reaches the poor of the poorest. It takes the downtrodden to schools. Prior to this fund, parents in my constituency or county were forced to conduct harambees, where cows and goats were sold through the Chiefs’ Act, and this affected the people a lot. As I speak, the number of schools which have been built by the NG-CDF between 2002 and now is more than the schools the Government constructed between 1963 and 2000. There was a time when we had marginal funds like the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), where we were able to connect villages with electricity, erected streetlights and implemented the Last Mile Connectivity Programme. However, the activist saw it right to stop this fund. I ask this House to do a comparative analysis or study between the impact of county governments and the NG-CDF. You will realise that as much as county governments are getting billions of shillings, their impact is quite insignificant or not felt. In my constituency alone, we have over 100 orphans who benefit from full scholarships from the NG-CDF. We also have the bright and needy students, individuals whose life would otherwise be in tatters without the NG-CDF. I want to plead with the Members, because this is not a normal Bill, it is a constitutional proposal that requires a two-thirds threshold, to prove that we can marshal and have 100 per cent Members to pass this Bill. The effect of not having the NG-CDF in the constituency or being abolished is mind-boggling. I just want to ask Members, because I have been in some constituencies... I want to thank the Temporary Speaker because of the work he has done; constructing colleges. You constructed a forestry college and also the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC). I have constructed a Teachers Training College in my constituency. I have seen areas in this country which could otherwise be completely impassable. I went to Taita Taveta and saw a road on top of a hill done by the NG-CDF. I want to ask judicial officers to assess what is happening before they make any decision. We know the mandates of a Member are oversight, representation, legislation and appropriation of funds. We also need to ask how this fund has been effective. Activists at times look at the NG-CDF as funds being misappropriated by Members of Parliament. They need to realise that this is the most effective fund. The impact of a number of Government funds is almost nil, yet no one has gone to court to complain about them. So, I thank the two Members for this proposal. Let us vote to pass the constitutional amendment and make the NG-CDF available to run this country."
}