Abel Mboozi 28 October 2011 opinion CALLS by various Parliamentarians to accrual the Constituency Development fund (CDF), which is a tool used in Zambia and other African countries to provide direct resources to constituencies for development have continued to characterise the Presidential speech debate in the House. CDF is a funding arrangement that channel money from central Government directly to electoral constituencies for local infrastructure projects. Decisions about how this fund is allocated and spent are heavily influenced by Members of Knesset (MPs). In Zambia the fund was approved through an Act of Parliament in 1995 within a wider decentralization policy. The fund was approved to finance micro-community projects for poverty reduction. CDF has been growing in size since its inception in Zambia from K30 million when it was introduced in 2006 to now K720 million for each of the 150 MPs in 2011. Now the Parliamentarians are still craving for its increase. Bweengwa MP Highvie Hamududu (UPND) in calling for the increase of the fund in Parliament said, “Increasing CDF to the tune of K5 billion will be the only effective way of empowering the Zambian people especially those in rural areas.” His Mpika Central counterpart Mwansa Kapeya (PF) also agreed to the increase of the fund but that it should be K1 billion and not K5 billion. Nkana MP Laxon Kazabu (PF) is also of the idea that the fund is increased to at least K2.5 billion so that infrastructure development is enhanced in his constituency. Other MPs that are of the view that the fund is increased are Zambezi West, Charles Kakoma(UPND), Brian Chituwo for Mumbwa (MMD), Jack Mwiimbu for Monze (UPND); Allan Mbewe for Chadiza (MMD), Vitalis Mooya for Moomba (UPND) and Richard Taima for Solwezi East (MMD). Mr Kakoma said, “CDF should be increased to K5 billion and that the fund should be moved from the Ministry of Local Government, Early Education and Environment to the National Assembly more so that we now have offices as MPs.” Dr Chituwo said, “Increasing CDF to K5 billion we see rapid transformation of rural areas and all we need are strong audit systems.” Past republican President Rupiah Banda had promised to increase the fund to K1 billion while UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema had also promised to increase it to the tune of K5 billion. Justifications: In Kenya the CDF was introduced at 2.5 percent of the national Government’s revenue and, therefore, grows with the overall size of the government budget and generally, the Zambian Parliamentarians have argued that CDFs can empower them to allocate and spend money independently of the executive that’s is why some are even suggesting that this fund be moved to the National Assembly in respect of the principle of separation of powers. They also claim that CDFs allow them to respond directly to concrete demands from their constituents, something that they may not be powerful enough to make the executive do. In the words of former Speaker of the Tanzanian National Assembly Samuel Sitta, “there have developed certain unscheduled expectations of treating their MP as a provider of financial assistance. This can and has created problems for those MPs who are unable to respond adequately to such expectations. For as the old adage goes, ‘members of parliament are men and women of high rank, but they have nothing in the bank!’” Champions of CDFs also claim that they can ensure project delivery in the face of ineffective and corrupt local government structures, bypass central bureaucracies and channel funding directly to community level, and enable the participation of the local population in the choice of what local infrastructure will be delivered. CDF problems Many have argued that CDFs breach the principle of the separation of powers by conferring parts of the executive function of budget execution on the legislature. As a Kenyan court ruled in 2005, “any outfit that is composed of members of parliament, and is charged with expenditure of public funds is commingling the roles of the different organs of state in a manner that is unacceptable… it would be against the constitutional principle of the separation of powers for members of parliament to take part in actual spending, then submit their annual estimates to themselves in parliament through the Public Accounts Committee.” In Zambia the utilisation of the CDF has been marred with allegations of misappropriation and political appeasement and has contributed, although at a slow pace to development. Expert commentators have observed that CDFs have a negative impact on accountability and service delivery that most poor countries can ill afford. Parliamentarians or legislators especially in Africa have typically supported legislation to establish CDFs, hoping that the scheme will enable them to fulfill the demands of their supporters, and to access a greater share of state resources which were until that moment monopolized by the executive. Proponents of the CDF argue that one of the key expected benefits of the fund is that it would devolve control concluded resources and responsibility for development decisions to the local level, thus increasing local ownership and participation. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association recently warned that CDFs could contribute to shifting the relationship between MPs and their constituents from its proper democratic basis (MPs representing constituents interests in national policy decisions) to a financial basis (MPs bringing home the bacon). Conclusion These examples show that CDFs contribute to clientelism, and to the perceived role of MPs being “automatic teller machines,” rather than representatives of the people in the governance process. Given the multitude of governance weaknesses in developing countries, it would be simplistic to argue that CDFs create clientelism. They do however play significant roles in institutionalizing these harmful practices and even provide a legal basis for them. In as much as calls to increase this fund could be justified caution in relation to its expenditure should be taken. Audit mechanisms need to be tightened to ensure the funds benefit the intended beneficiaries. President Michael Sata in his speech to Parliament also acknowledged the importance this fund offers to the development of rural areas especially but stressed proper audit systems to ensure it is not abused. He said, “Although the fund is intended to enhance national development through district councils it has been abused in the past. Muchinga MP George Kunda (MMD) as republican Vice-President then equally expressed concerns about poor accountability and abuse of the fund. He noted that the fund had failed to create an impact in the lives of the local people. Be the first to Write a Comment ! More News on allAfrica.com Powered By WizardRSS.com | Full Text RSS Feed | Amazon Plugin | Settlement Statement

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Are Calls to Increase CDF Justified?

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