Residents from Kisii County have called for the establishment of an independent Constituency Development Fund (CDF) monitoring unit to check on the MPs and CDF committees' excesses in the management and administration of the kitty.
The residents however, supported the retention of the CDF kitty and have the amount allocated to the kitty increased to meet demand for development projects at the grassroots level.
Speaking on Tuesday at Kisii Culture Hall during a public hearing forum on the Review of the CDF Act, William Nyabando from Kitutu Central Ward in Kitutu Chache South Constituency, on his submissions challenged the CDF management board to ensure an independent monitoring unit is established to oversight MPs and the committees to enhance transparency and accountability in the management of the funds.
Nyabando observed that though the kitty was a noble idea meant to address various socio-economic development challenges facing grassroots people, it was prone to abuse by MPs and their committees in the absence of a serious monitoring unit, which cannot be compromised by the political class.
“I can assure you that CDF remains a brilliant idea, but lack of a serious and independent monitoring unit that cannot be manipulated by MPs and their committees makes the kitty fail to achieve its intended objective and makes it a cash cow for the MPs and their cronies,” stated Nyabando.
His sentiments were shared by Jemima Mosigisi from Bomachoge Chache constituency, who called on the kitty’s national management board to ensure there is a monitoring unit to check on the MPs and their committees against misuse and abuse of the public funds channeled through the CDF kitty for development projects and programmes at the grassroots level.