CDF fund back

Patrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
THE government has set aside $10,5 million towards the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects in the coming year, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Patrick Chinamasa said yesterday.

In his 2015 national budget presentation in Harare, Chinamasa said CDF was back but under strict conditions to avoid misuse of public funds.

He said the Ministry of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs would be developing a Bill that would improve transparency and accountability in the management of the fund, therefore paving way for Treasury support.

“I am therefore setting aside $10,5 million for this purpose in the 2015 budget,” he said.

Chinamasa also said each constituency was going to receive $50,000.

“As honourable members will be aware, the Constituency Development Fund was launched in 2010 and discontinued after one year of implementation owing to the mismanagement of the fund resources,” he said.

Chinamasa said the fund remains an important instrument for promoting balanced development projects in communities across the country.

In 2012 scores of legislators faced charges after allegedly misusing the CDF leading to the suspension of the fund by the government.

Meanwhile, Chinamasa said there was need for expedient re-alignment of over 400 pieces of legislation with the new constitution saying the process was moving at a snail’s pace.

“Only three pieces of legislation were aligned to the constitution in the last session of Parliament,” he said.