Development Analyst Dr. Charity Musamba has charged that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development does not have sufficient capacity to manage the Constituency Development Funds – CDF mechanism, which has consequently resulted into severe mismanagement.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times (ZBT) Dr. Musamba said the mechanism must be given to other ministries with more viable human resources.
“CDF is in the wrong Ministry that is how come they are failing to account for the resources and the capacity of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development is not adequate to manage the mechanism, it is only able to manage the political structures.”
Dr. Musamba said the Government must however thoroughly look at the research that have been conducted by the civil society, Government institutions, and other independent analysts before making a decision.
“We are not against development, that is why we are telling them openly based on evidence that the mechanism is not benefiting that Zambian who needs that money, it is not responsible to keep throwing money in a mechanism that is failing, and there lies the case that the President needs to consider,” she said.
Dr. Musamba has also criticized the introduction of SI No 1 of 2024 which allows for the inclusion of District Commissioners on the CDF Committee, calling it a bias towards benefiting those in the ruling structure.
