By Obegi Malack
Members of Parliament are now seeking to double National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG CDF) allocations in a bill that will be introduced in parliament on Tuesday, November 22.
The lawmakers are seeking to control not less than five percent up from 2.5 percent of the national government’s total revenue share.
If passed, the bill co-sponsored by MPs Gichimu Githinji of Gichugu Constituency and Stephen Mule of Matungulu will see MPs receive Ksh270 million up from Ksh137 million they receive yearly.
In the 2021-22 financial year, the legislators received a total of Ksh41.7 billion translating to Ksh137 million yearly among the 290 constituencies.
The lawmakers are pushing to amend the Constitution to bring back the NG-CDF that was declared illegal by the Supreme Court in August this year.
The CDF Act 2013 that the court declared illegal provides that the government sets aside 2.5 per cent of its ordinary revenue for disbursement under the program.
The new bill also seeks to have Senate Oversight Fund (SOF), National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) and the Economic Stimulus and Empowerment Fund (ESEF).
“Senate oversight fund will consist of monies of an amount of not less than 0.001 per cent of all the national government’s share of revenue as divided by the annual Division of Revenue Act enacted pursuant to Article 218,” part of the bill reads.
NGAAF will receive not less than 1.4 per cent of the government’s share of revenue annually as divided by the annual Division of Revenue.
President William Ruto has been advocating for the return of the NG-CDF and setting up of the Senate Oversight Fund.
“I know the contribution that the CDF has had in making lives better for our citizens. I believe there is a way that CDF can be added to the tenets of the constitution. In this regard, I also hasten to add that both houses should also be adequately resourced for oversight duties,” Ruto had said.
The declaration of the NG CDF as unconstitutional has seen delay in release of the funds. It has had a negative impact on schools and students who depend on its bursaries and construction of schools infrastructure and other projects.
The Treasury had indicated it will release Ksh2 billion every week for NG-CDF subject to approval by the Attorney General.
It is waiting for legal opinion from the AG on implications of the Supreme Court ruling that declared it unconstitutional.
The lawmakers had threatened to block all government business including approval of President Ruto’s nominees for Principal Secretary positions if the Treasury fails to release the funds.
