Residents in Taita Taveta county want the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) retained and its allocation increased to spur development in the constituencies.
They said the fund should be enshrined in the constitution and members of parliament given more power to appoint members to the fund oversight committees.
Speaking during a public participation meeting in Voi Town to seek views on the National Assembly NG-CDF amendment Act of 2023, the residents proposed the allocation to be increased from 2.5 per cent to between 5 per cent and 10 per cent of the national budget.
They said that the fund has played a key role in unlocking development projects in rural areas.
Each of the 290 constituencies receives at least Sh137 million every year from the Sh41 billion allocated for kitty.
If doubled, that allocation will rise to Sh82 billion with each constituency getting more than Sh270 million annually.
The public participation was held by the National Assembly Committee on NG-CDF and chaired by the committee’s vice chairperson Kassim Tandaza.
Other legislators were Voi MP Khamisi Chome and his Butula counterpart Joseph Ayula
“We want NG-CDF to continue funding infrastructure developments in the security and education sector. The fund has helped spur growth in many marginalized areas,” Wilson Mwang’ombe, an opinion leader, told the committee.
Mwang’ombe said that residents are satisfied with the effective use of the funds and that value for the money is being felt at the grassroots.
“The kitty has had a positive impact on the community and the amendment should therefore be passed to continue helping the society,” he said.
Tandaza on his hand said the public views will be respected and presented before the National Assembly.
The Matuga legislator said that the amended bill only needs 2/3 support from MPs to become effective.
He said the committee was in the last phase of collecting views from the public before tabling the recommendations before the parliament.
Supporting the proposed amendments to retain NG-CDF and increase the allocation, Chome noted that constituency size should also be considered when allocating funds instead of relying on population alone.
“When the bill comes before the house, I will not lean on any political affiliation but will vote according to the voice of Voi residents,” Chome said.
This proposed amendment follows the Supreme Court ruling in August 2022 that CDF Act, 2013 was unconstitutional.
The apex court ruled that allowing MPs to manage the funds is against the Division of Revenue and Public Finance law.
