CSOs condemn Constituency Development Fund guidelines

Civil society organisations have observed that lack of their involvement in CDF, Constituency Development Fund projects has led to abuse of the programme.
Centre for Human Rights and Development Board Chairperson Mwima Mtine says that civil society organisations have deliberately been left out from those sitting on CDF committees.
Speaking during a live Good Governance and Accountability radio programme dubbed “GAP”, Mr Mtine noted that CDF guidelines are clear that CDF committees should have a member from a civil society organisation but this is being ignored.
He however, hoped that with the revision of the CDF guidelines, the situation will change to promote accountability and transparency.
Mr Mtini also commended organisations like YDF, Youth Development Foundation for coming up with programmes that want to promote accountability in CDF.
And speaking during the same programme, a senior citizen Jason Kamanga observed that civil society organisations were being left out because of what he described as animosity.
Mr Kamanga also bemoaned a situation were members of WDCs, Ward Development Committees are denied resources to monitor CDF projects.
He stated that it was because of such challenges that politicians were taking advantage of the situation to politicize the projects as council officers are not always on the ground.