In a major legislative change, the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) Act has been amended to exclude Members of Parliament (MPs) from all implementation structures of the Fund.
This reform removes MPs from roles such as members of NG-CDF Committees, Patrons, and members of Constituency Oversight Committees (COC), which has now been abolished from the Act.The NG-CDF will continue to function as an executive-operated fund through the NG-CDF Board in Nairobi, with active participation from grassroots communities.
The CDF Project Management Committee (PMC), responsible for implementing CDF projects in schools, will now be the Board of Management of each school.Critics of the NG-CDF are urged to consider the following before opposing the Fund:
1. Persuade the current government to make education free, as both Kenya Kwanza and Azimio promised during their campaigns.
2. Develop accountable and equitable systems to ensure all schools across Kenya are constructed, similar to the efforts facilitated by the NG-CDF.
Concerns have been raised about the potential for further legislative fragmentation, questioning whether Senators might next propose “Legislation Funds” or “Representation Funds.”
The call to action suggests that before dismantling the NG-CDF, there should be a robust plan to make education free and to establish systems that can equitably and accountably build schools throughout Kenya, just as the NG-CDF has done.
