THE Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Bill, aimed at strengthening accountability in the fund’s management, is likely to be crafted next year, Constitutional and Parliamentary Affairs minister Eric Matinenga said yesterday. REPORT BY VENERANDA LANGA SENIOR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER
Matinenga said significant progress had also been made in auditing of CDF and the final audit might be completed in January. President Robert Mugabe in October said a CDF Bill would be brought before the House for debate during this session of Parliament.
“Crafting of the CDF Bill cannot be done in 2012 because it should be done after consultations with the Ministry of Finance and other stakeholders,” said Matinenga.
“I hope it will be done before Parliament is dissolved,” he said.
The lifespan of the Fifth Session of the Seventh Parliament is likely to be short as elections are to be held anytime next year.
Matinenga said the Bill would aim to curb misuse of the funds meant to develop constituencies as was allegedly done by some legislators this year.
“We have always had common laws that deal with issues of misappropriation and those people who said they could not account for the monies because there was no common law were only hiding behind a finger,” he said.
Justice and Legal Affairs deputy minister Obert Gutu said a CDF law was necessary as it would clearly spell out a management system for the funds.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“The CDF Bill will clearly spell out who is supposed to manage the fund and how. In other words, a clear management system will be spelt out instead of the current situation where the MP literally decides what to do with the fund on his/her own and also manages the fund at the bank.
“The Bill will also provide for criminal offences one would face for mismanaging and/or defrauding the fund,” said Gutu.
Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya said the law should strip MPs of the responsibility of directly withdrawing funds from the bank by politicians.
“The responsibility handling funds must be placed on technocrats, for example, local authority officials or government officials who will pay for the projects, while the politicians’ role is to consult the communities and draw up projects that respond to people’s needs. Politiciansshould play an oversight role on bank accounts without directly being signatories to the bank account,” said Chikwinya.
