Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane has presented a K173 billion 2022 national budget under the theme: ‘Growth, jobs and taking development closer to the people’.
And Kalumbila Member of Parliament Nicholas Mukumbi has applauded government for increasing the Constituency Development Fund ( CDF ) from K1.6 million to K25.7 million.
Mr. Mukumbi says the increase of the funds will scale up development in constituencies and that it is unprecedented.
He said the increase of the funds entails that people will have to decide on their on which project to embark and in which area.
He said the move is what has been missing in the development because most of the decisions are made on behalf of the people.
“What has been happening is that people will sit in Lusaka and make a decision to build a school in an area they don’t even know because the funds where being kept in Lusaka. But the decision that government has made to increase CDF allocation to all the constituencies is a well thought off decision, ” said Mr. Mukumbi.
The lawmaker also expressed happiness with the pronouncement by the minister of Finance and National Planning that the funds will be given to all constituencies without segregation.
“And that is the most consoling part because previously, these funds where being given selectively,” he said.
He further applauded government for putting in place measures to ensure that the funds are not misused.
He said new CDF guidelines and capacity building for council staff will be key in ensuring that funds are not misappropriated.
“And as area Member of Parliament, I cannot allow any particular council staff in my constituency to misuse the funds meant to develop the area,” he said.
And Ikelenge Member of Parliament Elijah Muchima said the new dawn government will not tolerate the misuse of funds.
He said any officer that will temper with the funds will not be spared. “They where playing under the PF regime, not in this government,” said Mr. Muchima.
