Petauke Central Independent Member of Parliament – MP, Emanuel Jay Jay Banda has alleged that his constituency and many other constituencies in Zambia have only received k5.8 million out of the k28.3 million allocated for the 2023 constituency development fund (CDF). because all funds are given at once regardless of one’s political affiliation.
The government during the 2024 National Budget presentation announced that it has increased constituency development fund (CDF) allocation for 2024 to K30.6 million in each constituency from the current K28.3 million.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT Banda however revealed that recently there has been an ongoing debate in parliament where some members of parliament have been alleging that only MPs from the ruling party have received the full amount of the 2023 CDF in their constituencies.
He said that MPs are currently carrying out a fact-finding to ascertain whether or not only the ruling party MPs have received the 2023 CDF funds.
“We haven’t received the 2023 constituency development fund for 2023 in full. We have only received 5.8 million. All the constituencies in Zambia haven’t received because they give at once regardless of the MP’s political affiliation but there was that argument in parliament where they were saying that the members of parliament from the ruling party have received the full amount but we don’t have evidence yet because we are still carrying out our investigation,” he said.
“For 2023 we are supposed to receive k28.3 million but we have only received k5.8 million. We haven’t been told why the full CDF amount has not been given to us in full. So right now we are blank we don’t know what is happening,” said Banda.
Meanwhile, Banda encouraged members of the public to go to their various constituencies and find out the money reflected in the 2023 CDF accounts.
He added that every parliamentarian must ensure that the government distributes public funds accordingly.
“As long as you are a voter you are free to go and find out from your constituencies on the money available in the CDF account for 2023. The job of a member of parliament is to be a bridge between the people and the government. The job of an MP is to ensure that the government distributes this national cake very well according to our constitution so if they won’t do so it will be our duty to ask them in parliament. That’s the reason people vote for us,” said Banda.
