THE subject of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is one that raises two distinct but, in many instances, correct views.
While some citizens have long held the view that CDF is an unnecessary Government expenditure, which usually ends up in constituency officials’ pockets instead of going towards actual development projects, others insist that constituencies cannot develop without it.
In the past, there had been no year that ended without reports of members of Parliament, councillors or council officials being implicated in the misapplication or misappropriation of CDF.
Indeed some of this money failed to reach the intended beneficiary projects which people in various constituencies may have agreed on as being necessary to improve their lives.
On the other hand, the money has been used for the construction of vital amenities in various constituencies for the benefit of many residents.
In constituencies that have had committed leaders, the CDF has, for instance, seen the construction of health facilities, bus stations, police posts, water facilities and road repairs, projects that almost every member of a particular constituency will benefit from.
It is no wonder that some people and civic leaders, like Livingstone Councillor Friday Nkonde insist that the CDF amount should be increased in the next Budget to allow for more projects to be carried out.
More important, however, is the news that the Government is considering adjusting the way CDF is disbursed.
Finance Minister Alexander Chikwanda has indicated that the Government was considering providing more money to rural constituencies, as opposed to giving a uniform amount to all parts of the country.
The rationale obviously is that rural constituencies present greater developmental challenges than urban ones and, therefore, cannot be expected to utilise the same amounts of money.
For example, Lufwanyama Constituency, which is one of the largest in the country and is beset with many challenges ranging from poor roads, lack of health posts, decent accommodation, safe drinking water and sufficient secondary schools, should be able to get more funds than Nkana Constituency in the middle of Kitwe City.
Lufwanyama would obviously need more of that funding than Nkana because the latter is situated in an urban area with the amenities mentioned above readily available.
There is no question that more funding to rural constituencies is bound to trigger a rapid change in outlook for these areas and ensure that they are not left too far behind in the national development agenda.
The other point to note is the question that the CDF skeptics have always asked, and this has to do with the management and monitoring of these funds once released by the Central Government.
Even when consideration by the Government to increase CDF for rural constituencies becomes a reality, there will obviously be need to tighten control mechanisms at all levels.
Monitoring mechanisms must be tightened especially when the funds are finally released to councils because it is at this stage that reports of MPs influencing expenditure of CDF are rife.
Residents themselves should also be sensitised to ensure that they take keen interest in how this money is being utilised and ensure that it is used for projects that they themselves indicated they needed.
That way, reports of CDF misuse or misapplication will certainly be a thing of the past because the money will be spent on intended projects for the benefit of respective residents, and each ngwee will most likely be accounted for.
Only then will increased CDF be appreciated as a necessary ingredient in the constituency and national development agenda. OPINION