MPs’ control of CDF unlawful, claims leader

Uasin Gishu County Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno (left) and the County Commissioner Abdi Hassan during Mashujaa Day celebrations held at 64 Stadium in Eldoret town on October 20, 2014. Chemno said on October 23, 2014 that MPs should not be in charge of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) kitty. FILE PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He said that the Executive, not the Legislature, should be in charge of development matters.
  • The deputy governor urged the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to issue frequencies to all media houses. He, however, asked CA to cancel licences issued to media houses that do not use them.

Deputy Governor Daniel Chemno said, on Thursday, MPs should not be in charge of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) kitty in this era of devolution.

He said it is unconstitutional for lawmakers to manage the Constituency Development Fund under the new dispensation. Mr Chemno said that the fund does not exist in the current law.

“As far as devolution is concerned, CDF is an illegality in the 2010 Constitution. MPs should stick to their mandate,” said Mr Chemno.

He called MPs selfish, after they formed an Act to manage CDF.

“After realising that governors will be fully in charge of the funds, MPs in the previous Parliament created an Act to ensure they control the money,” he said.

“The Act is not enshrined in law because of the separation of powers,” he said.

BACK OFF

Mr Chemno urged MPs to do their duties of legislating, representation and oversight.

“As an MP you cannot oversight yourself. That is why they hardly talk about their CDF accounts.

“They keep off the discussion in Parliament because they have vested interests,” said Mr Chemno.

He said that the Executive, not the Legislature, should be in charge of development matters.

“At no time do MPs execute development because that is the work of the Executive arm of the government. We now have two levels of government, the national and county governments which are mandated to handle development,” said Mr Chemno.

He was speaking at the Catholic Cathedral Church in Eldoret on Thursday. The church was celebrating a year since its community radio was launched.

The deputy governor urged the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to issue frequencies to all media houses. He, however, asked CA to cancel licences issued to media houses that do not use them.