Nkana Independent Member of Parliament Binwell Mpundu says the Constituency Development Funds – CDF that was awarded to different constituencies for the first quarter (January to March 2022) are yet to be utilized because there are delays from the casual approach from the ministry of local government compounded by the attached guidelines.
The Ministry of Local Government is currently under the charge of Mazabuka MP Garry Nkombo. The minister has been conspicuously silent on leading the CDF process with limited to no updates on what exactly is being done to clear the blockages.
Mpundu said that even if constituencies push for more money now, they still have not exhausted the CDF for the year 2021, projects have not yet started, Imagine that “in my constituency Nkana, that’s when they are about award the contracts for the 2021 CDF” , he started.
In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, the Copperbelt MP said here are two things that are delaying the process, the cumbersome procedure which has been provided for through the CDF guidelines and the inertia and casual approach by the technocrats with the mandate of executing the project.
“Me as Member of Parliament working alongside my CDF committee, we end at identifying which projects must be done and the implementation. The procurement, contract awards and the releasing of funds is entirely done by the local authority, so the delay is purely because of lack of capacity by the local authorities”, he revealed.
He further added that going forward, there is need to have an honest conversation with the Ministry of Local government to relax there guidelines so that the process becomes less cumbersome. He stated that there is also need to push the local authority to capacitate them.
Mpundu stated that because of the delays, there is definitely going to be struggle to achieve developmental targets because this time, we are implementing the 2021 projects, so there is going to be an overload.
Some stakeholders are attributing the delays in disbursements of the CDF and the excessive tax refunds by ZRA to the mines as being the main reasons for the current liquidity “no money in circulation” challenges which is leading to low demand for goods and services.
