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{
    "id": 85738,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/85738/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 349,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Mbau",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 182,
        "legal_name": "Elias Peter Mbau",
        "slug": "elias-mbau"
    },
    "content": "The other use for the CDF is that every village, community and constituency occasionally is afflicted by certain emergencies or needs which would require to be addressed rapidly and without undue delays. Sometimes, it used to take the Government two weeks, a month, three months or even six months before it responds to an emergency that has taken place in a local area. With the existence of CDF, it is nowadays easy to ensure that when an emergency of a local nature takes place, say the collapse of a classroom, a bridge during heavy rains or such other emergencies, it is possible for the hon. Member to appeal to the CDF committee of that respective constituency to attend to such a matter with speed so that we can ameliorate the suffering of our people. So, those are values that people need to appreciate about the CDF. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are, therefore, urging the Ministry concerned to note that in pursuit of their objectives, we need to give people what we call “certainty”. We say that CDF allocation is 2.5 percent of the ordinary revenue; therefore, we, as MPs representing the public, expect that much. If you do not provide that much, it means you will put into disarray, plans and projects that are already being implemented. The Ministry will be unable to comply. We want to refer the Minister to the existence of a requirement in the Fiscal Management Act that states that if you do not comply by ensuring that you give or achieve that which you have planned to achieve, you need to come and explain to the committee, in this case the CDF Committee. You are obligated to give an explanation to Parliament, and that is why this Motion has come up. For instance, if an explanation as to why there were variations in relation to this amount of money was given in full to, for instance, the committee, probably would not be having this debate. So, we want to say that we are not begging. What needs to be done has to be done. We are only imploring the Minister to ensure that we are able to sort out these little failings at the committee level, so that we do not have to come here. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the economy is looking up. Everybody knows this. We read your statement the other day that we are now growing at an upwards of a rate of 4 percent. Since the economy is growing, and we hope it will continue growing, there is no good reason why this 2.5 percent, which goes directly to where the needs are, should be reduced or fail to come when it is expected. We want to urge that the money that is outstanding for last year and this year, be re-voted and supplied like yesterday, so that we are able to help you grow the economy, and that in future you may have a bigger kitty, which you will use to continue growing the economy. With those few remarks, I beg to support strongly."
}