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{
    "id": 1194564,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1194564/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 118,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mandera East, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Hussein Weytan",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker for giving me this opportunity. This is a very important Bill as National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-NG-CDF) has really changed the lives of our people. It has played a very important role especially in the marginalised areas in this country. In Mandera where I come from, before the NG-CDF, we had no projects, no bursaries for our students, and no administrative office blocks, including for chiefs. The NG-CDF changed all that. It has built schools, offices for our chiefs, and houses for our security officers. Since we came in as MPs in August, there has not been any money from the NG-CDF released. Therefore, students and parents are having problems. So many needy students are out of school. We expect this Bill to move very fast so that NG-CDF is entrenched in the Constitution and the needy students are assisted. Just last week, I was in my constituency and the chiefs were complaining that they are working under trees. In these modern times, we cannot accept our chiefs to work under trees. I expect to build as many offices as possible for my chiefs and police officers so that they are motivated to do their jobs as required by the law. I also support the increment from 2.5 per cent to 5 per cent so that we can carry out more projects and more students can benefit from the funds. I also request the drafters to open the Fund up because currently it is only open to security and education. This is so that we can buy agricultural equipment for our people. In Mandera we have “Uza Dawa” and their farms on the river banks. People require agricultural equipment so that they can carry out their activities, but our hands are tied. Why? Because the money from the Fund cannot be used to buy such equipment. We are only allowed to invest in educational and security activities. If we open it up, we can do as many projects as possible in different departments. We also need to use this money to build low-cost houses for the needy people. This is possible. If we have a budget, we can use this money appropriately in many projects. I, therefore, support the idea of this Bill and expect it to be fast-tracked. I request the National Treasury to release the funds and not use excuses to delay release."
}