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"id": 195883,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/195883/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Okemo",
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"speaker": {
"id": 198,
"legal_name": "Chrysanthus Barnabas Okemo",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. I would like to agree with one of the hon. Members who suggested that the CDF Act was really a landmark legislation that has enabled devolution of resources in a small way. The 2.5 per cent allocation should be increased, almost as a matter of urgency. Despite implementation and capacity problems, the CDF has contributed immensely to poverty alleviation. It is the single most effective programme that the Ninth Parliament brought into being as a measure that directly deals with poverty eradication. I believe that the Minister should, as a matter of urgency, consider an amendment to increase the 2.5 per cent to, at least, 10 per cent in the very near future. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I want to agree with the hon. Member who has just contributed, and said that if you have this kind of allocation coming from the CDF, you do not have to go queue behind the offices of Ministers to beg for favours, so that certain projects can be implemented in your constituency. If you have Kshs100 million or Kshs150 million allocated for various projects in your constituency, I can tell you that it is enough money to keep all of us busy developing our constituencies and we can let the Central Government use this trickle down effect of budgeting where money goes through Ministries and at the end of the process you only get 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the original amount. A lot of the other amount of money having stuck between the fingers of those who are responsible for implementation. I, therefore, wish to encourage the Minister to consider this amendments as a matter of urgency. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the other thing that I would like to bring to the attention of the Minister is the question about auditing and accountability. The best auditor and the best person to account for all the CDF money is mwananchi himself. There is no better auditor. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, so, I would like to urge the Minister to encourage Members of Parliament to set up Locational Development Committees (LDCs) of the CDF, whose job is to generate projects, supervise them during implementation and see that before payment is made, those projects have actually been implemented as agreed. To me, that is the best auditor. Yes, you could bring Government auditors there. They will come, move around and write their reports, but the matter will end there. By the time these reports get to the PAC, it is three years later. However, mwananchi lives there. He knows whether there is a borehole or not. He knows whether a health centre has been constructed or not. That mwananchi will ensure that the money is being properly used. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I would, therefore, like to suggest that we should even have some small allowances to enable this Locational Development Committees (LDCs) to sit, audit and inspect and ensure that all the projects at the locational level are actually being implemented. If we do so, first of all we will get quality local leaders whose main task will be to ensure that they are the eyes of the Member of Parliament. They will tell you, for example, that in this location, Kshs20 million was allocated and the projects that have been implemented are this and that and we are satisfied. Once you do that, the question of audit does not arise. In fact, audit should just be a routine Government procedure. However, the day to day operationalisation of the CDF money can be done at the locational level by the LDCs. April 24, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 677"
}