CHENDA

By KAIKO NAMUSA –

LOCAL Government Minister Emmanuel Chenda on Wednesday told Parliament that Government is revising Constituency Development Fund (CDF) guidelines to curb mismanagement.
Mr Chenda, responding to concerns from a motion moved by Public Accounts Committee chairperson Vincent Mwale for adoption, said Government had taken note of the complaints raised in by MPs in the usage of CDF.
“As Government, we shall consider the concerns that members have raised, including the recommendations of the report. The use of CDF and grants by local authorities has been dogged with many problems and these need to be addressed if the impact of these funds will be felt.”
“Arising from your committee’s findings, it’s evident that the issues highlighted in your report must be attended to. The House may seek comfort in that we are revising the CDF guidelines to make them more user-friendly to deal with the issue of red-tape, to ensure that the role of the MP is very conspicuous,” Mr Chenda said.
Mr Chenda noted, however,  that the move called for responsibility on the part of MPs, as they were senior councillors that were supposed to give leadership at the various local authorities, to ensure that the projects approved were in accordance with the guidelines and also that the money was spent and accounted for properly.
“We are also contemplating not only introducing financial controls, we want to also have technical controls because some of the quality of works that maybe done, leave much to be desired,” he said.
In moving the motion, which was eventually adopted, Mr Mwale said revelations that most local authorities were mismanaging CDF were worrying and the trend should be stopped forthwith.
“Therefore, I call upon all stakeholders including traditional leaders, the media, community leaders, civil society organisations and indeed the public to begin to ask the questions and demand explanations about how funds are managed when projects have not been delivered. Mismanagement of funds should no longer be condoned by our people,” Mr Mwale said.