130 voting zones to miss out on CDF cash
Wycliffe Oparanya, Minister for Planning and National Development at a past function. He revealed that the Treasury had released Sh3.5 billion for disbursement but his ministry could not disburse the money until MPs meet set conditions. Photo/FILE
More than half of the constituencies run the risk of missing out on development funds due to failure by MPs to submit their project proposals on time.
Planning minister Wycliffe Oparanya on Sunday told the Nation that 131 MPs out of the 210 were yet to present their proposals to the Constituency Development Fund Board.
The minister noted that the 79 constituencies, which have submitted proposals, would receive 50 per cent of the fund. The 79 will first benefit from bursaries, Sh2 million to meet the cost of administration and emergency expenses.
The minister was responding to concerns by CDF committees, which indicated that they had not received the cash to cater for education bursaries.
With the opening of schools early this month, needy students have flocked CDF offices seeking bursaries. At stake is Sh3.5 billion, which is the second portion of the Sh14 billion fund.
Mr Oparanya revealed that the Treasury had released Sh3.5 billion for disbursement but his ministry could not disburse the money until MPs meet set conditions. (Read: Kenyan MPs warned over graft in CDF)
“It is a shame that MPs are yet to present project proposals for the cash which is supposed to benefit wananchi (citizens). CDF is a stimulus which should be utilised to grow the economy,” he told Nation from his constituency.
He added: “The money is released on the basis of project proposals which are sent to the board for approval but majority of MPs are yet to submit their proposals and records of previous allocations,” he said.
He said that the board was scheduled to meet on Tuesday to assess proposals from the constituencies, which had complied.
Section six of the CDF Act mandates the board to consider project proposals, approve funding and send cash to respective constituency fund accounts.
Mr Oparanya also warned that those constituencies with unutilised cash would not be allocated more. The minister promised to make public the list of constituencies whose MPs had not submitted proposals.
However, a member of the board who did not want to be identified said majority of the MPs yet to submit project proposals were from Nairobi, Rift Valley, Nyanza and Central regions.
