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Cde Lovemore Matuke

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
ZANU-PF chief whip Cde Lovemore Matuke has said they will convene a caucus to encourage MPs to expeditiously submit their applications for Constituency Development Fund.

This follows revelations by the Speaker of Parliament, Advocate Jacob Mudenda that only 129 MPs had submitted their applications and only two applications were approved.

Treasury 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.

In an interview yesterday, Cde Matuke said although the process was cumbersome, legislators had to submit their applications in time.

“All what I am trying to do is to call for a caucus to ensure that we encourage our Members of Parliament to submit their applications in time. I had a meeting with the Speaker today and we agreed to push MPs to provide the required information so that they get the money,” said Cde Matuke.

“I may call for the caucus tomorrow (today) but I’m yet to get approval from my leader of the House to see whether we may proceed to do so.”

Cde Matuke said the process was cumbersome hence some MPs were yet to submit their applications while others submitted applications with inadequate information.

“MPs need to hold meetings to decide what projects to undertake and confirmed minutes of the meetings should be attached to the applications. Three quotations from three different suppliers, project by project should be attached to the applications and the total amount for each application should be $50 000. Once all is done, the applications are then submitted to the accounts department at Parliament for verification,” said said Cde Matuke.

MDC-T Chief Whip Mr Innocent Gonese said legislators from his party said they were consulting.

“A lot of Parliamentarians are claiming that they are still doing the consultations because you don’t want to do something without proper consultation. You’ll find out that most MPs have complied with the initial requirement but what is outstanding is the issue of specific quotations,” said Mr Gonese.

“We are encouraging MPs but the response I’m getting is that some are still consulting but the sooner the better, because when one has not submitted, the money will not be disbursed.”

He encouraged MPs to submit proposals at least by end of this month.

“We are saying at least by end of January but my understanding is that disbursement is done per constituency. Once the proposal is approved then the money is disbursed,” he said.

The Speaker, Adv Mudenda last week said 129 out of 210 constituencies had submitted the initial documentation and their bank accounts and only two had fully complied with the CDF constitution and the accounting officers’ manual.

@AuxiliaK