Gachagua: NG-CDF Is Very Important Dont Abolish It

By John Kariuki

The National Government’s Constituency Development Fund hereby abbreviated as NG-CDF, is a very important kitty that should be safeguarded at all costs.

These are the thoughts of Ndaragwa MP George Gachagua.

“Of all the other National Government’s Funds, NG-CDF remains the most critical fund. It’s impact has been felt more prominently than the other funds. This is a fund that has enabled children acquire education and fulfil their dreams,” Hon Gachagua noted.

Gachagua who was elected in August on the UDA ticket opines that the fund should actually be improved to cover other parameters such as medical bills which are currently overburdening the common Mwananchi.

“As a member of Parliament we are overwhelmed by our constituents requests to chip in and foot the ballooning medical bills. This can be made more bearable by increasing the NG-CDF allocation to enable it expand its scope.”

The National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NGCDF) is established under the NG-CDF Act, 2015 as amended in 2016. The main purpose of the Fund is to address socio-economic development of the people at the constituency level in order to reduce poverty and enhance regional equity.

Currently there’s established a committee of the National Assembly tasked with realigning the NG-CDF in the Constitution.

Lawmakers are now mulling the reinforcement of the National Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) by amending the constitution to entrench the Fund in the law.

The bill co-sponsored by Matungulu Member of Parliament Stephen Mule and his Gichungu counterpart Robert Gichumu is pushing for the fund to be established in the constitution to avert disruptions on technicalities of the law.

In the Constitution Amendment Bill 2022, the MPs are also seeking to established the National Government Affirmative Fund, Senate Oversight Fund and Economic Stimulus and Empowerment Fund in the constitution.

“The net effect of the entrenchment of the funds in the Constitution is to guarantee developmental benefits without undue interruption to the people by channeling resources to meet the ever-increasing need of the people of Kenya,” read the bill.

The bill seeks to increase the allocation of the National Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) to 5 percent from the current 2.5 percent by amending the NG-CDF Act of 2015.

“There be established the National Government Constituencies Development Fund which shall be a national government fund consisting of monies of an amount of not less than 5 percent of all the national government share of revenue as divided by the annual Division of Revenue Act enacted pursuant to Article 218,” read the bill.

The bill also calls for the establishment of the Senate Oversight Fund which seeks an allocation of 0.001 percent of all the national government share of revenue as divided in the Division of Revenue Act.

The lawmakers argue that the bill doesn’t in any way affect the function and powers of the county governments in anticipation of any efforts to thwart the bill.

“Further, the establishment of the Senate Oversight Fund in the Constitution will ensure that the Senate is adequately empowered and resourced to perform its function as stipulated in Article 96 of the constitution,” the bill read.