Treasury wants CDF permanently

He said this in the House of Assembly on Wednesday while responding to questions from legislators who wanted to know why Treasury did not disburse CDF last year.

Minister Biti said his ministry failed to disburse the funds due to poor budget performance that resulted in the budget being revised downwards from US$4 billion to US$3, 6 billion.

“The reason why you need an Act Parliament is very simple. You need an Act of Parliament so that number one, you deal with the issues of transparency and accountability that goes without saying,” said Minister Biti.

“You also need to make it permanent. We do not want the CDF to depend on the discretion of the existing Minister of Finance.

“Once it is now an Act of Parliament, it is now codified. Whatever Minister of Finance or Government is going to be there, it is going to be permanent.”

Minister Biti said repealing CDF was very difficult because all legislators wanted it.
He acknowledged that there were a few legislators who abused the first batch of the fund.

He said most of the legislators used the fund to develop their constituencies.
Legislators across the political divide pleaded with Treasury to disburse CDF.
They said the fund was the only provision that could develop the whole country compared to central Government system.

Zanu-PF Chief Whip Cde Joram Gumbo said the introduction of CDF was one of the positive developments of the Inclusive Government.

He said this while debating a motion he moved on the Presidential speech that was delivered by President Mugabe when he officially opened the Fifth Session of the Seventh Parliament.

“When this amount was disbursed in 2010, Members of Parliament cited the projects which were necessary to develop their constituencies – it showed that the members of Parliament did developmental projects and this also showed that people did projects which were good for their constituencies,” said Cde Gumbo who is legislator for Mberengwa West.

“We do not deny that in some instances we had some cases of people who misappropriated these funds but we know that in all the systems, there are some loopholes that are abused by people. Let me hasten to say, the majority of Members of Parliament used the CDF properly.

“We should not stop this noble cause, otherwise as far as I am concerned, I propose that this CDF be increased. We find that we are, unlike the central Government which has prepared plans which are well in advance, whereby they know that to build clinics, schools or roads, the feasibility of Government can only be reflected through the use of the CDF by Members of Parliament.”

Mazowe South MP Cde Margaret Zinyemba (Zanu-PF) said there was a need to make CDF a permanent feature because of its positive impact in the country including outlying areas.

“When the US$50 000 was used, Members of Parliament used them to build schools, drilling boreholes and introducing submersible pumps.

“This was development in these areas and as far as I am concerned, the CDF should be increased and there should also be some oversight on the CDF to see that these funds are properly used,” she said.

MDC-T legislator for Kadoma Central Mrs Editor Matamisa said legislators were supposed to welcome the Bill when it is introduced in the House.

“We also hope that when the Bill is tabled, people will go and work on their projects using the CDF – definitely these funds are very essential.

“And development in these areas will be a two pronged attack with the Government carrying out its own projects and the Member of Parliament carrying out developmental projects for the benefit of the constituencies,” said Mrs Matamisa.

However, 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.

So far, four legislators have been taken to court on allegations of misappropriating the funds.House of Assembly members were the sole beneficiaries of the funds with Senators being made ex-officio members in the administration of the funds.

Albert Mhlanga (MDC-T Pumula), Marvellous Khumalo (MDC-T St Mary’s), Cleopas Machacha (MDC-T Kariba) and Franco Ndambakuwa (Zanu-PF Magunje), were early this year picked by the

Anti-Corruption Commission and appeared in court.Charges against Ndambakuwa and Mhlanga were withdrawn before plea and the State will proceed by way of summons when the dockets are ready.