Campaign seeking Kenyans' support for CDF kitty begins in Nakuru

Chamuka Dispensary in Ol Kalou, a project financed by the Constituency Development Fund (DCF) in Nyandarua County. Plans to save the DCF started in earnest on Wednesday, with the first meeting held in Nakuru to collect views over its future. FILE PHOTO |

By  BENARD OGEMBO

What you need to know:

  • Public meetings to be held across all counties to solicit support from Kenyans for the billions of CDF shillings to remain under the control of MPs.
  • Rabai lawmaker Kamoti Mwamkale claims the fund would be misused if left at the mercy of the county executives.
  • On February 2, the High Court declared the CDF Act unconstitutional and therefore invalid.
  • The government was given 12 months to make necessary amendments to the Act, failure to which it would be nullified.

Plans to save the Constituency Development Fund started in earnest on Wednesday, with the first meeting held in Nakuru to collect views over its future.

The National CDF Management Board's acting chairman, Mr Elias Mbau, said public meetings would be held across all counties to solicit support from Kenyans for the billions of CDF shillings to remain under the control of MPs.

Mr Mbau said the newly formed county government system was still under formulation and maintained that the CDF was legally constituted and hence does not duplicate the roles of the county governments.

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Esther Nyambura, the vice chairperson, Parliamentary Select Committee on CDF and MP for Ruiru, said they would rally all the 290 lawmakers to ensure they save the fund.

PUBLIC TO DECIDE

Nakuru Town West MP Samuel Arama said it was up to the public to decide whether to surrender the CDF to the county governments.

“The CDF … has helped in development at the constituency level, although the distribution has been a challenge. It is now upon the public to give their views,” he said.

Masinga MP Benson Mbae called it a political matter and urged the public to rally behind them to save the fund.

Rabai lawmaker Kamoti Mwamkale claimed the fund would be misused if left at the mercy of the county executives.

“I think it is hypocritical for governors to come and say they should control (the) CDF — let them, first of all, show us what they have done with the money before they come to look for (the) CDF,” he said.

CDF Board acting CEO Yusuf Mbuno said apart from inviting public hearings on the reviews, they would also involve civil societies and non-governmental organisations to get their input.

DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL

On February 2, the High Court declared the CDF Act unconstitutional and therefore invalid, but gave the government 12 months to make necessary amendments, failure to which it would be nullified.

Among the defects found by the High Court are lack of sufficient public participation and that it was clashing with the operations of the county governments.

The petition was filed on the grounds that the CDF Act was undermining devolution by infringing on the principle of separation of powers and public finance.

But Mr Yusuf expressed optimism that the CDF board would move fast to have the issue resolved amicably in ensuring that the Act respects the law.

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