MPs unanimously hail constituency Development fund

positive changes to their constituencies.
The MPs also called for the programme to continue if Zimbabwe is to be developed.
In separate interviews, legislators who spoke to The Herald, said the CDF had helped develop their constituencies.
Shurugwi South legislator Cde Anastancia Ndhlovu (Zanu-PF) said the fund had helped meet constituency needs.
“The CDF has helped us a lot in developing constituencies.
“There are programmes that we have embarked on that have left the constituencies developed. For instance, there are community empowerment projects targeting women that we have implemented. The projects have changed many people’s livelihoods especially in the area of education and health care,” Cde Ndhlovu said.
She, however, called for more funds to be allocated to rural constituencies because their needs were different from their urban counterparts.
“Urban constituencies are very small. Rural constituencies have so many needs because they are generally underdeveloped compared to urban constituencies,” she said.
MDC-T representative for Glen Norah, Mr Gift Dzirutwe, said the fund had helped bring development in his constituency.
“The CDF is very useful because now an MP can reach out to his constituency through development projects.
“Glen Norah is one area that was hard hit by cholera and the funds that my constituency got, we used it to build toilets, renovate schools and to put boreholes at schools affected by water crisis,” he said.
Mr Dzirutwe, however, said the fund was faced by some challenges like poor accounting because it is new.
Zvishavane-Runde MP, Cde Larry Mavima, said the fund had come at the opportune time when the constituencies were calling for development.
“The CDF has filled in the gap, where Government did not provide small development projects.
This fund now demonstrates the role that an MP has since they can now develop the constituencies through the fund.
“My constituency is very happy with the CDF. It has helped improve the situation in some areas. This fund will go a long way in facilitating development in some of the constituencies even though it’s limited,” Cde Mavima said.
Mkoba constituency representative, Mr Amos Chibaya (MDC-T), said the fund had helped resuscitate some of the facilities that have been lying idle.
“I have managed to construct a library in Mkoba with CDF something that had not happened for so many years. I realised that education is a basic need which needed support.
“For the country to be developed there is need to have educated people. It was therefore prudent to construct a library.
“CDF is the best method that Government can use to develop local communities,” Mr Chibaya said.
MDC representative for Mangwe, Mr Edward Mkhosi said: “We are very happy with CDF because now other parts of the country that have not been developed can be developed.
“There is no ward that is going to be left underdeveloped because the facility is there to cater for all wards.
“There are critical issues that the fund has helped constituencies to develop for instance, we have used the funds to construct dip tanks, drill boreholes and build clinics among other things.
“I, however, wish to see the programme continue so that the country can develop,” Mr Mkhosi said.
The Ministry of Finance established the Constituency Development Fund in the 2010 National Budget where legislators would get US$50 000 from the US$8 million allocated for developing their areas.
Last year, the Ministry of Finance disbursed US$50 000 to all the constituencies under CDF.