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{
    "id": 250696,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/250696/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 228,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Dr. Machage",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister for Health",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 179,
        "legal_name": "Wilfred Gisuka Machage",
        "slug": "wilfred-machage"
    },
    "content": "I support the Motion. The CDF has revolutionalised the marginalised areas in this country; my constituency being one of them. Indeed, we have seen funds pushed to the marginalised areas that have never been seen since Independence. In the last two and a half years, my constituency has received slightly over Kshs65 million for its development projects. Indeed, 97 projects that have addressed mainly issues of education and health have adequately been promoted. Hon. Members have shown that they can adequately utilise this facility with their committees. There is a lot of development, not only in Kuria, but generally in Kenya only with 2.5 per cent of the national Budget. I would wish that the Press does not trivialise this issue. Instead, the Press should seek the views of the people of this country, which are that the CDF has been seen to work. Indeed, asking for an increase of 5 per cent is modest, like one hon. Member has just said. It would have been better if 10 per cent was directly disbursed to the constituencies. However, there are so many bottlenecks in the utilisation of these funds. When the CDF committee has approved an hon. Member's project, I find it not acceptable for the National CDF Management Committee to disapprove the same because priorities differ. In my constituency, where the illiteracy rate is very high, my priority is the provision of education and where infant mortality rate goes as high as 180 per 1,000, my priority is medical services. So, I find it difficult and unacceptable when I bring my priorities to the House, they are approved and the National Management Committee says that I must have only 50 per of my budget awarded to one specific priority. Education is a priority that requires more than 90 per cent of my budget. Mr. Speaker, Sir, this bottleneck must be addressed because the clause in the Act that manages the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) is a bit ambiguous on this. The benefit of the doubt should be given to the Member of Parliament and his committee who desire to have certain projects. In the endeavour to have equitable distribution of resources the CDF has proved to be a facilitator in this country. Indeed, I accept, with my colleagues in this House, that the emergency fund should not be dictated unto. It should be left for the committee to decide on where the priority should be. Mr. Speaker, Sir, apart from the CDF, with the facilities and functions it has been given, I think an allowance should be given maybe with more funds for the support of the marginalised population in the communities such as the women groups and the youth. This should actually be put into the Act so that Members of Parliament are not tied from addressing these two groups which are groups which have not been fully addressed by the previous Government in terms of facilitation. Otherwise, there should be a clause that allows a Member of Parliament to address in 906"
}