Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 183426,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/183426/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 192,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Mbadi",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 110,
        "legal_name": "John Mbadi Ng'ong'o",
        "slug": "john-mbadi"
    },
    "content": "Thank you very much, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I do not want to comment on that. The point that I was driving home was that I wanted the Ministry to consider putting a proposal to amend the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) Act, so that we increase the percentage of the total Government ordinary revenue that goes into the CDF kitty. To me, the minimum that would be acceptable is 7.5 per cent of the Government ordinary revenue, so that constituencies can plan their own development. The one thing that I like currently with the CDF is the involvement of the grassroots level. The Ministry should insist that the CDF committees show proof that the projects that they have proposed for implementation actually come from the grassroots level. There is need for an indication that the sub-locations and locations had approved the projects to be undertaken, so that we avoid a case where, we, as politicians, would marginalise some regions for political reasons. If that is done and the communities are allowed to contribute 2846 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES October 21, 2008 and make suggestions on their priorities, I have no doubt in my mind that the CDF will go a long way in improving the welfare of the citizens of this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would like to give an example. Even though we have had problems with the CDF, you will realise that, for example, my constituency has undertaken the construction of about 13 day secondary schools. Of course, it is questionable whether we really needed to have that number of secondary schools. However, that is an achievement that could not be realised without this concept. We have a number of health centres under construction and some have just been completed courtesy of the CDF. In the past, we could not realise this. I want to mention about the National Management Board (NMB) that has been constituted. With all due respect, this NMB was constituted to enhance efficiency and not to create bottlenecks. I do not expect the NMB to get involved in day-to-day running of the CDF kitty. Why do I say this? We have a Chief Executive Officer of the NMB with all staff under him. If the NMB has already approved the project to be implemented, there is no justification whatsoever why they should approve the disbursement of funds. To me, the disbursement of funds is a routine matter. That Board takes a month to sit and when it does so, it discusses the appointment of the chief executive. They then disagree and that is the only agenda that they discuss. They fail to discuss the disbursement of funds to the constituencies. Did we create this NMB to stop constituencies from carrying out the projects? Did we create it to make sure that things are streamlined? Currently, if you go to the NMB, they will tell you that its team is in Lagdera to inspect projects in the constituency, yet some constituencies are waiting for money to be disbursed. My constituency is one of them. I am currently undertaking construction of a road and rains are about to begin. However, I cannot proceed because the NMB has not been able to look at the disbursement. Why is the NMB getting involved in routine management of the CDF rather than making policy decision? If you ask me, that is misallocation of resources and a waste of time. They should be told to stop it and leave the Chief Executive Officer to do his job. Let them deal with the bigger picture. If we get involved in the small management aspects, I do not think that we will end anywhere. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I know that my time is running out and my colleagues want to contribute. I want to talk about other development partners. I have a case in point with IFAD. They are very slow in implementing projects. We leave some projects for them to implement and we do not consider them under the CDF. But they take two years to implement those projects and the community is suffering."
}