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"content": "with the House by the Government and are always given in hotels and other avenues, you will find that the Government does not utilise more than 50 per cent of the Development Vote at any one time. So, we may be thinking that we are taking away development money from the Government but, in fact, the Government is unable to utilise the Development Vote. This is why, last week in the Supplementary Estimates, Kshs7.6 billion was transferred from the Development Vote. In my view, it is important that we look at the proposals. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the first proposal is on the rate. I find the proposal by Eng. Muriuki to increase the rate to 7.5 per cent modest. However, as hon. Members, it is also not lost on us that it all depends on what revenue the Government can generate and how much money it can raise. If the Government can demonstrate that the revenue base is going to increase to such a point that it will be over Kshs500 billion, then we might accept a possibility that instead of taking a very high figure of 7.5 per cent, perhaps we can look at a more modest figure of 5 per cent. In my view, we should not be looking at less than 5 per cent subject to the amount of revenue that they estimate to give us. If the revenue is at least over Kshs400 billion, the effect of a 5 per cent increase would be the same as what 7.5 per cent would have on the Kshs300 billion of this year. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the second point is that the CDF has enhanced efficiency in this country in terms of the development of the infrastructure. We have seen the impact that I have mentioned. More importantly, there are three main advantages of having the CDF, which would support the argument that we must, at least, double it. First, in my view, there is a re-distribution of wealth. This may not be seen in that picture, but when you look at what the CDF has done, you will realise that we are re-distributing wealth. We are taking away contracts that would have been given to a few people in Nairobi to the rural areas. That money is being shared out by contractors all over the country. In effect, this increases incomes in many parts of this country. Secondly, there is equitable distribution of wealth and resources. In other words, there is a sort of devolution of power and resources. Lastly, the CDF eliminates the political patronage that we have had to deal with when we are looking for money. We have always been trooping to Ministers' offices begging Permanent Secretaries to give us money. Today, hon. Members do not have to go and look for money. You sit in your constituency, get your allocation and you can address most of the basic issues that are required. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the other proposal is on the 5 per cent emergency fund. I support the proposal that the utilisation of the 5 per cent emergency fund should be at the discretion of the CDF Committee. We saw it during the recent drought; where some of us had difficulties trying to get authority from Nairobi to utilise that money. So, the proposal that the CDF committee in the constituency should be the one to decide on how to utilise the 5 per cent emergency funds is important. On the ownership, however, I do not agree with Eng. Muriuki. I do not support the view that we should put the CDF under a line Ministry. Ministries create a lot of bureaucracy. At the same time, that bureaucracy will lead to delays. We are better off in the Ministry of Finance where we have the Minister for Finance and we can directly go to the Treasury, negotiate and discuss with them what we want. If you go to another Ministry, then you will be creating a very difficult situation because you have to go to that Ministry and that Ministry has again to go to the Treasury. So, we would rather have the CDF matters handled by the CFC Committee. With regard to implementation, I agree to the setting up of a secretariat instead of the National Fund Management Committee. We should have that secretariat, but we should leave the matter of having the CDF under another Ministry out completely because we will end up getting into trouble. Mr. Speaker, Sir, my last comment is on the issue of the co-ordinator. I support the proposal that, in order to address the issue of transition of the hon. Members and enhance"
}