Written by John kabaka 2012-07-12 10:52:00 Read 881 Times

CDF Directors (L) John Makonjio and Abbas Ahmed during the Kakamega County sensitization workshop where they revealed that the board will release an audit on the use of CDF funds before the polls.[PHOTO / John Kabaka/ West Fm]

The public will soon be able to evaluate the leadership of their Membersof Parliament through the performance of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) over the past four years with the expected release of expert audit findings commissioned by the CDF board on all the 210 constituencies.

Ahmed Abbass the CDF Board Director, told a CDF public sensitization workshop for Kakamega County that a team of technical experts has been hired by the board to audit CDF projects implementation in each of the 210 constituencies and to prepare a rating and ranking on how each performed before the country goes to polls at the general elections.

The report, he said will be released to the public in November this year to allow voters to evaluate their leaders based on the management of the fund ahead of the coming general election.

The report, he explained will be a professional work capturing the quality of work done and percentage of funds misappropriated.

The board's audit of the fund will come hot on the heals of another report from a public watchdog, the National taxpayers association (NTA) which announced recently that a report detailing four worst projects in eight constituencies represented by aspiring presidential contenders is ready for release in August.

NTA program officer also indicated that plans were underway to publish another report outlining some of the best projects implemented under the CDF scheme in those eight constituencies.

Abbass said the public had every reason to seek authentic information about the operations of the CDF from the board and the committee at the constituency level.

Poor education background

Meanwhile, the board has decried a poor education background for a majority of CDF committee’s members in Kakamega County and challenged the elite to get involved in fund activities.

Makonjio said the bulk of the committee officials are villagers some unable to read and write but were still expected to steer and manage millions under the fund.

He said a new Act to replace the current one and align the operation of the CDF to the constitution was underway.

He said part of the recommendation of the board on the law that has been submitted to the cabinet for discussion includes provision for a minimum O-level education for committee members.

The legislation also seeks to transfer the power of the MP to hire and fire CDF staff and committee members mid term.

Other aspects that addressed by the proposed new law is the issue of allowances for committee official with a view to making them uniform.

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