MINISTRY OF L(rcAL GOVERl{!,IEI{T AI{D HOUSING
MINISTERIAL STATEIAENT BY THE HON MINISTER OF LOCAL
GOVERNAAENT AND HOUSING ON THE RELEASE OF 2014 AND 2015 CONSTITUENCY DEVELOPMENT FUND TO CONSTITUENCIES
2 ocroBER 2015 Mr. Speaker
Arising from the point of order raised by Hon. Attan Divide Mbewe, the Member of Partiament for Chadiza Constjtuency on 24th September, 2015 and the sLrbsequent ruLing which you made ordering the Mjnister of Locat Government and Housing to prepare and present a MinisteriaLStatement on the same, I now do so.
Mr. Speaker
Before ldo that, aLlow me to use this opportunity you have created for me, to welcome and congratuLate Hon. George Mwamba (Lubasenshi Constituency); Hon. Kasandwe (Bangweutu Constituency) and Hon. Teddy Kasonso (So(wezi West Constituency) for emerging victorious in the recently'hetd two ParLiamentary by elections. Wetcome to the world of CDF.
Secondty sir, as I respond to your order to present a MjnisteriaL Statement arising from the point of order, lwoutd Like to attay the fears and misgivings the House may have that Government onty responds when jt js awakened to do so. On the contrary, Sjr, the point of order came at a time when sufficient progress was already made on the subject matter. Howeverr I am in no way belittting the point of order but rather thanking the Hon. Member of Partiament for raising jt because it aLso shows thd important rote the Constituency Devetopment Fund (CDF) ptays. SimitarLy, the point of order raised by Hon. Victoria Katima (Kasenengwa Constjtuency) yesterday in the House shows the criticat rote that
CDF continues to ptay in the development efforts of the nation
Mr. Speaker,
lf t sound guarded in my submission on CDF disbursements, it is because I respect the rotes which the Ministry of Locat Government and Housing and the Ministry of Finance working together ' ptay in the administration of CDF.
The Ministry which Iam priviteged to tead scrutinizes and approves proiects earmarked for imptementation by CDF Committees and Councits. Thereafter, the Ministry recommends to the Minjstry of Finance for the retease of Funds to Constituencies. Before 2014 my Ministry was responsibte for disbursing CDF to Constituencies, however, foltowing financiat irregutarities as regards disbursement of CDF the Ministry of Finance started disbursing funds directty to Constituencies
The Ministry in June, 2015 had requested Councits to justify the reasons why they were stitt hotding huge batances in the Commercial Banks. The information was received in July, 2015 ,|12 wjth justjfications and at that time it was estabtished that of the Constituencies had utilized the funds. This is when on 6th August, 2015, my Ministry made a format recommendation and requested the Ministry of Finance to release 2014 CDF to 37 Constituencies and 2015 CDF to 113 Constituencies whose proiects were approved and which had utitized most of their 2013 and 2014 attocations resPective[Y lY\r. Speaker,
Govefnment has disbursed 2014 CDF to 113 Constituencies amounting to a totat of K158.zmiLtion teaving a batance of 37 Constituencies that are yet to receive their 2014 CDF attocation amountjng to a totat of K51.8mittion. The deLay to retease 2014 CDF to the 37 Constjtuencies was due to huge balances of unutilized 2013 CDF allocation which was hetd in the commercial bank accounts.
Mr. Speaker,
Considering the fiscat Umitations and competing demands on the National Treasury altow me to thank the Ministry of Finance for confirming to my Ministry that disbursement of the 2014 CDF to the 37 constituencies witt be deposited in the CoLrnci[ accounts today the znd of October 2015 white the 113 Constituencies whose projects have been approved and have low account batances in their CDF accounts witl start receiving their 2015 CDF aLtocation this October, 2015. Mr. Speaker,
Attow me to tay on the tabLe of the House two documents. Document 1 containing the names of the 113 Constituencies which are earmarked to receive 2015 CDF and Document 2 contajning names of the 37 Constituencies that are earmarked for 2014 CDF. As Honourabte Members witt see from document 2, the fotLowjng constituencies wit[ receive their 2014 CDF this week:-
Kankoyo, Nchanga, Kalutushi, Kamfinsa, Kwacha, Nkana, chifubu, Kabushi, Chingota, Chimwemwe, Ndota Centrat, Katuba, Keembe, Mkushi South, Kasenengwa, Petauke Centrat, Mitanzi, Malambo, Msanzala, Chawama, Kabwata, Kanyama, Lusaka Centrat, Mandevu, Matero, lsoka, Sotwezi Centrat, Livingstone, Chikankata, KatomboLa, Moomba, Sesheke, Natikwanda, Chimbamitonga, Senga Hitt, Kasama Central, and Lukashya Constituency.
lhave aLso tayed the 2006 Guidetines on the Management and utitjzation of CDF for the perosat of Hon. Members especiatty HonourabLe Members of Partiament who have recently come to the House. Mr. Speaker
Government is committed to ensure that att the one hundred and fifty (150) constituencies are attocated the 2015 CDF as they are atL budgeted for and etigibte for funding. I apologize to the Honoorabte Members of Partiament for the detay in the retease of CDF and catt upon them to ctosety monitor and supervise these projects to ensure timely implementation.
Mr. Speaker
Attow me to thank atl Members ot Parliament for the successfut utitization of the 2013 and 2014 CDF and urge the Honourabte Members to ensLtre that these projects contribute to uptifting the tives of our peopLe in our communities.
Mr. Speaker,
In conctusion I want to state that it is my sincere hope that Members of Partiament witt assist Government in ensuring that funds are no longer hetd in the Banks unnecessarily so that projects are speedily imptemented for the benefit of our communities. Hon. Members of Partiament CDF is for att the one hundred and fifty constituencies (150) and as such Government attaches great importance to ensuring that this resource reaches atl our constituencies without delay or partiatit,.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you.