Harare (New Ziana) – Members of Parliament on Wednesday urged the Government to disburse their Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in United States dollars because service providers are now shunning the local currency, leading to failed or unfinished projects.
All 210 constituencies in Zimbabwe get the equivalent of US$50 000 CDF in local currency, based on the exchange rate on the day of disbursement.
Speaking at the induction seminar for parliamentarians, meant to familiarise the MPs with their roles, particularly first-time legislators elected in the general elections in August, Tsholotsho South MP Musa Ncube said some of the constituency projects were not being completed because service providers refused payments in local currency.
“The reason why at times you find that we do not quickly use the CDF is the problem with the service providers. Most of the service providers refuse to take local currency. That’s why at times you find us opting to buy maybe cement because the service providers for cement take Zim dollars. We will be trying to offload the money before it’s eroded by inflation,” she said.
“Transporters are not taking RTGs because they do not buy their fuel with it, but they use USD,” she said.
MP for Mwenezi West, Priscilla Moyo, asked: “Due to inflation, when CDF is disbursed, is there a way of quickening payments of the funds before it is eroded by inflation?”
Murewa West legislator, Farai Jere said the funds were not large when disbursed in local currency.
“We feel that it’s a very good idea but the amount needs to be reviewed upwards so that an MP can do a project in every ward of a constituency,” he added.
Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, concurred with MPs on the need for disbursement of CDF in USD.
“The problem needs to be brought to the attention of the Minister of Finance because it is a real problem where the supplier demands payment in USD,” he said.
He also said Parliament needs to push for quicker disbursement of CDF before it loses value.
“I want Hon Nyambuya, our chair of the finance committee, to engage the Ministry of Finance so that the CDF we have it disbursed in advance so that there is no delay,” said Mudenda.
Deputy Clerk of Parliament, Helen Dingane said it was disturbing that some MPs in the last parliament did not request for their CDF share.
“In the last Parliament, we had to engage political party chief whips because you were not applying for the money. We have certain members whom we do not want to name who have never taken the CDF money for five years; disadvantaging their communities,” she said.
She, however, singled Masvingo province constituencies as the best in terms of implementing CDF projects.
“By the way, Masvingo is the best performing province as far as CDF is concerned. Harare province is the worst performing. We noted that most of the MPs in Masvingo work with the Rural District Councils, so they help each other to identify the projects. They help each other to follow up the implementation of the projects,” she said.
New Ziana
