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"id": 195916,
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"speaker_name": "Prof. Olweny",
"speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Education",
"speaker": {
"id": 122,
"legal_name": "Patrick Ayiecho Olweny",
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"content": " Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, for the opportunity you have given me to support the Motion. To me, it is a great one because it will help in facilitating the operations of the CDF. Without the Board of Management, a lot of things will get stuck. So many things will not be done, because everything starts from the top, moving downwards to the constituencies. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as many hon. Members have said, the CDF is a great development for this country. For people in some parts of the country, the CDF is the only opportunity through which they managed to get a share of the national cake. Certain parts of the country where people were not singing the tunes of the regimes that we have had so far, really had it rough. That can be seen in the form of lack of good roads because the CDF cannot be used to make good roads. The Rural Electrification Programme (REP) was not carried out fairly in the country. Those parts of the country that were not good enough for the previous regimes did not have power and roads. They still do not have those facilities. Some of the facilities like schools and a few water projects here and there are being done using the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF). So it has really helped. Now, a few people can afford to do siasa mbaya, but they will still get some money for their constituencies. You do not have to do what the President or the other people around him do, so that you get money for your constituency. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, there is one issue that needs to be addressed with regards to CDF. There have been a number of cases of misappropriation of the CDF. Some of those cases have been investigated, but no prosecution has taken place. A few of them have been taken to court. For example, in my constituency, I have one such case. Someone just decided--- I do not know how he colluded with some people who cashed the cheque in his favour. Such a case was taken to court. It was mentioned several months ago, but those people have not gone back to court. So, I do not know who is colluding with who. Cases where public funds have been misappropriated and people are taken to court, should be disposed of as fast as possible, so that they can discourage others who may wish to have a bite of the CDF. I wish the Attorney-General or the Minister responsible for constitutional affairs was here. Such cases should be handled very fast, disposed of and, if the people are found guilty, they should be locked in so that others do not make a similar attempt. Recently, we had a very unfortunate situation where an accounts manager in one of the constituencies was killed, probably because he was trying to reveal a few things or follow up on a few cases that involved misappropriation. In that regard, I also thank the Government for posting those account managers to the various constituencies. The management of that money is not that easy. There are people who think it is free money for them. So, the account managers are doing a good piece of work in the constituencies. I am very happy, particularly in my constituency. But there is only one thing that the Government did wrong. According to the Act, it was supposed to consult with the CDF committees in the constituencies. But that was not done. That is why some of the accounts managers who were posted had some problems. So, when the Government is doing anything - and I hope the Minister is listening--- I can see he is consulting quite a bit! So, when the Government is doing anything, it should consult. If it is an issue that involves consultations with a constituency, it should consult. We should not just find people being brought there and then, you have ask them: \"What is your job and your terms of contract?\" In the last Parliament, we had proposed that the CDF percentage be raised to 7 per cent. We had April 24, 2008 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 699 problems with the Minister for Finance and we did not succeed. We are proposing to the present Minister who is in charge: \"Please, bring us this amendment!\" We want to amend that because it is the only thing that Kenyans are enjoying. That is the only cash they are \"eating\" and sharing with the Government."
}