Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Vice President in Charge of Politics Leonard Hikaumba has expressed sadness over reports that CDF resources are not utilized in some constituencies thereby depriving the people of the desired development.
Mr Hikaumba has wondered why some constituencies are failing to carry out developmental programs when the government has made full allocation of the Constituency Development Fund CDF.
He noted that CDF resources are meant for the development of constituencies hence the need for priority projects to be funded by constituencies in order to promote development.
Mr Hikaumba said it can only be concluded that there are individuals in the under performing constituencies who are trying to frustrate government efforts to deliver development.
“We can only conclude that there are probably some people in those areas who are trying to frustrate government efforts,” Mr Hikaumba said.
He continued:”That is the only way the government will be justifiable to increase these funds when we see projects being done. If it is seen that nothing is being done in the utilization of CDF, people in those areas should demand from their representatives why the funds are not utilized. Government directives on use of CDF come as a last resort when they see that nothing is being done.”
Mr Hikaumba called on residents in constituencies to demand from their representatives why CDF resources are not utilized in their areas.
He stressed that the MDC expects that challenges such as lack of desks, insufficient infrastructure and poor feeder roads will be addressed using the CDF in order for people to appreciate the impact of the huge allocations.
MDC is a UPND alliance partner whose President Felix Mutati is serving in the New Dawn Government as Minister of Science and Technology
There are several challenges to the implementation of CDF and one of them is logistical. The funds were rolled out without the necessary capacity by local authorities put in place. For example, some projects cost beyond the authorized financial threshold. If officers go ahead without Ministerial approval it’d attract audit queries and sanctions. It’s not good to cast aspersions on junior officers whenever there’s a challenge. As a leader strive to understand the whole issue so that your statement doesn’t create another problem
I think some Elected MPs had road to richers mindset when they were campaigning…….
Based on previous GRZs………being an MP was a guarantee to unexplained wealth, with out having to hardly do any work for the people who who elected you……….apart from give handouts……….
Now you have to deliver on your promises , and their is accountability………
Some are falling short on using their brains to deliver to the people…….
This is what happens when you have under par opposition he thinks CDF is money that any Jim and Jack can just collect like those free K100 notes that PF leaders were dishig out. You have to be organised…instead of wondering propose or lobby for govt to undertake milkrounds educating the masses.
Development cannot come through CDF as the present government seems to be preaching. Development is orchestrated by central government not some MP who has never even studied any development studies. In the centralised government the government sets forth development goals and publishes a development plan that we can all monitor.
The CDF has just opened up inroads into theft because now you can receive this money and use it arbitrarily and noone will ask you to account for it. Once again we are paying out hard earned taxpayers’ money without a plan hoping things will work out well. Thats not how development is achieved.
Hybrid Hyena – the whole point of increasing CDF funding is to move away from a centralised type of govt you are talking about. Yes, its early days and there is much more educating and enlightening the councils and commitees about how to effectively utilise CDF. Central govt will be used in major infrastructure development…its also lack of know how by opposition like this MDC chap I mean the needs of a consitutency in an urban area are different for need in a semi urban area like Katete so the uptake of CDF will differ.
@Tarino just a few questions. Who sets the priorities for CDF? How do we ensure they are priorities and not some MP’s subjective goals as Hikaumba insinuates here? Who will set the barometer for success or failure? Who monitors CDF? If its “early days”do we have the kind of money to risk to criminals while we trial and error? Who will define major infra-structure? Isnt the lack of know-how by opposition reflective of the entire society and therefore demanding the use of experts? Isnt the government better positioned to identify these? And which MPs are trained to orchestrate development plans. One thinks even those in the front bench rely on the expertise inherent in their government departments and when these may lack, in seeking them via structured civil service regulations.
The CDF project seems to be one meant to put a lot of band-aids all over the communities and allowing shrewd kaponyas to enrich themselves. This CDF money could be better spent
You allude to MPs who are the legislative arm of govt but you forget the Executive. I think its you who needs lessons on how CDF works and what the role of an MP is!
@Tarino Orange I was following this thread with interest but you’re clearly out of your depth. Allude? What do u mean?
Hh has referred to the executive more than once. What is the front bench? It’s the executive
Chona- Much of work of the executive is carried out by government departments, headed by ministers the political figure head but staffed by civil servants; that’s what I am talking about here. The most senior civil servant in a department is called the Permanent Secretary (PS).
Zambia, Malawi, DRC and Angola are very good examples of haphazard attempts at development
Its not the job of an MP to run development projects. Its government’s job. The job of an MP is to enact laws. Understand? Make laws. Formulate laws that will enable development. With this misunderstanding of our ‘house of commons” maybe we should rename our parliament to Development House