MPs demand increase in Constituency Development Fund
Members of Parliament on Tuesday renewed their calls to have the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) increased from the current MK 18 million to MK 30 Million.
CDF is a funding arrangement from central government to electoral constituencies meant to finance local development projects like construction of bridges, school blocks and boreholes and is entrusted in the hands of legislators.
The MPs took turns in calling Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe to consider increasing allocation for CDF projects.
The finance minister was explaining on the allocation set aside for district councils to use for the drilling of boreholes in every constituency.
This did not go down well with most MPs who said the move was just a replica of what is done under CDF whereby the funds go directly to constituencies for local projects like the drilling of boreholes.
“There is no need of setting another special fund for drilling boreholes because at the end of day all the money will be wasted without seeing what they were used for,” said Juliana Lunguzi, legislator for Dedza East (Malawi Congress Party).
MP for Dowa East Maxwell Thyolera (Malawi Congress Party) said he was surprised that government was centralizing this work at district council when MPs themselves were able to do the same with CDF.
“Like in my case I managed to construct a number of bridges and boreholes using the said fund. It is surprising to note that instead of considering increasing the CDF, government wants to set aside money for another fund,” Thyolera said.
But the finance minister stood his ground saying government will not relent and reverse its decision amid the calls from the MPs.
“It is with sadness that the bridges that people claim to have constructed using CDF are of substandard or non-functional. The functional ones are not those constructed by CDF but some nongovernmental organizations working in those areas,” Gondwe said.
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I am reminded of 2 million kwacha Yunus Musa bridge in Zomba…
Kodi zazitsime ku Parliament mukambirana mpaka liti? Ife tikufuna muzinena za madzi a m’mipope, mijigo nthawi yake inapita kale ndi Kamuzu. Until when shall you be pleading for boreholes? Think eWorld guys!! Eesssh!!
Mufuna muzingoba??????????????????????kikikikikikiki