UPND blames gov’t for low CDF uptake

…ruling party lawmakers are blaming the Ministry of Local Government for the low utilisation of CDF

By Nation Reporter

THE UPND Members of Parliament for the first time, yesterday, broke ranks and accused Government for the low uptake of the famous Constituency Development Fund (CDF)

The ruling party lawmakers have pointed fingers at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as being responsible for the low uptake of the CDF, the flagship of the Hakainde Hichilema administration.

President Hichilema has described CDF as a flagship of the new dawn administration which stands at K28.3 million per constituency and has since been increased to K30.6 million in the 2024 national budget.

When UPND assumed leadership of the country in 2021, CDF was at K1.6 million.

Sitting yesterday, the Expanded and Budgeting Committee chaired by UPND Moomba MP, Fred Chatila received submission from Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development permanent secretary in charge of administration Maambo Haamaundu on the 2024 national budget.

Lukulu East MP Dr Christopher Kalila led the onslaught on how legislators were being blamed for low utilisation of CDF when it was officers at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Government who were ever absent from work in the name of attending workshops organised by the parent ministry.

Vice President Mutale Nalumango is on record blaming some MPs of failing to utilise CDF.

Dr Kalila said there was need to be more focused in terms of a unit or directorate in charge of CDF because councils were failing.

“We really need to create a focused department because the effect of this is that the entire council has gone to sleep, and they are just dealing with CDF. Other sectors such as garbage collection have begun to suffer, generally, service delivery. It may not be the case here in the urban areas but in the rural areas we are seeing that,” Dr Kalila said.

Dr Kalila said MPs had observed with sadness that the CDF implementation, although at the face of it, it was the MPs who more often than not had done their part, the implementers of the Fund were failing.

“We go for CDF meetings, we approve, and we do everything then we hand over to the implementers. Then we come here (Parliament), it takes four or five months for the implementers to do the next step. Why?”

“Most of the time, they (council employees) are never in their offices. In my council for example, I complained to the other PS, Nicholas Phiri…your council officers are always out in places like Chipata, Livingstone attending workshops…it is making work very difficult, and the blame comes to us that our absorption rate is low, and the MPs are not doing anything. But it is your officers,” said Dr Kalila who is now serving 12 years in Parliament having first arrived in the House on the MMD ticket in 2011.

In response to Dr Kalila and other MPs’ cry, Mr Haamaundu said the absorption of CDF could not be used as a benchmark. Mr Haamaundu said some constituencies could have used K8 million or K10 million to buy three pieces of equipment at once while others could have 12 tenders running on construction of classrooms awaiting the approval of the Attorney General.

“I still reiterate that absorption should not be the basis of measuring performance. We should look at the commitment. That is what is critical. We need to have plans waiting for execution and not money waiting to be utilized,” he said.