CDF Bill to make fund mandatory

governments to make provision for CDF,” said Minister Biti.

“We have seen that the fund is a necessary tool for development.”
Minister Biti said the Bill would provide for mechanisms to enhance accountability of the money.
Treasury, he said, had no intention to abandon CDF since it had uplifted many communities.

“We conceived this idea of CDF after studying other jurisdictions,” said Minister Biti.
“We cannot, therefore, kill our    own creature. There are reports that suggest that there will be no more disbursement of CDF, that is not true.”
Minister Biti introduced CDF in the 2010 budget statement in which he allocated each constituency US$50 000.

But several legislators have been arraigned before the courts for allegedly abusing the funds.

But they could not be convicted because of lack of a law governing the fund.
The Ministry of Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs is still making an audit of constituencies to verify if the projects were consistent with the money disbursed.