NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 26 – A team that is reviewing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Act was optimistic on Wednesday that it would present its report to the government in the next two months.
CDF Review Task Force Chairman Muriuki Karue said Kenyans had exhibited interest in reforming the membership and management of the funds.
“People are saying that they want access to more information (about management of the funds),” Mr Karue said.
Mr Karue who is credited with conceptualising the constituency-based devolved fund says the committee is to hold repeat sittings in Langata and Machakos Town constituencies.
He said the team would wind up hearing submissions from professionals and special interest groups on September 2. “But on 3rd of next month we will be holding our final public hearing and we will want anyone or groups that feel they have anything to contribute to the review to appear before us.”
The Committee will recommend reviews of the CDF Act 2003 and the CDF Amendment Act 2007 and come up with strengthened ways to enhance accountability and seal gaps that can lead to the misuse of the funds.
The move has been informed by cases of abuse of the CDF funds, low utilisation of completed facilities and weak capacity to identify viable projects at the grassroots level.
Mr Karue said besides conducting public hearings in selected parts of the country they had printed over 250,000 questionnaires to be made available in chiefs’ camps for the members.
“Come out and give all your views and recommendations. And it can be anything that you think would make CDF better. You can even challenge the existence of the fund,” Mr Karue said while welcoming Kenyans to the hearings.
The Taskforce was launched by Planning Minister Wycliffe Oparanya in June.
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