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Speaker of the house of Assembly honourable Jacob Mudenda

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
Most Parliamentarians failed to meet the criteria to access the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), as only two out of the 129 applications made were approved.

This was said by Speaker of the National Assembly Advocate Jacob Mudenda on Thursday.

“To date, only 129 constituencies have submitted the initial documentation and their bank accounts,” he said.

“Out of that figure, only two have fully complied with the CDF constitution and the accounting officers’ manual, and have submitted their project list, as well as the estimated cost for their identified projects.

“The management committee has set in motion the process of disbursing their money, which is expected in their bank accounts any time soon. Five submissions did not comply with the provisions of the Constituency Development Fund constitution and 74 have not made any submission at all.”

Parliament has reserved $50 000 for each legislator for development initiatives in their constituencies, but access is only guaranteed after complying with provisions of the Fund.

Advocate Mudenda encouraged legislators to take the matter seriously for the development of their constituencies.

“Honourable members, you are urged to attend to this matter urgently. This is to your advantage in promoting development in your respective constituencies.

“This circular, I have asked staff to ensure that this circular is in your pigeon holes.

“Collect it so that you are guided accordingly,” said Adv Mudenda.

He said constituencies that have submitted their bank account numbers are now required, in terms of Article 6 of the CDF to submit a list of identified projects, a minimum of three quotations for each project showing the estimated cost of each project, the total estimated cost for all identified projects must not exceed $50 000 and signed minutes of the CDF Committee showing approval of projects.

“Those four conditions must be met. Please note, the quotations are required for purposes of calculating the estimated cost of each project and not for approval of projects by the Parliamentary Staff Management Committee,” he said.

The CDF was last released in 2011 and most legislators failed to account for the money.

Government set aside a budget of $8 million for the CDF and the money was to be used for development projects by the legislators.

Each constituency received $50 000, but some failed to account for it. — @AuxiliaK.