Nairobi — National Treasury has committed to disburse Sh5 Billion for the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) by Thursday this week before lawmakers commence their two-month-long recess.
In a letter to the National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi assured that the exchequer will release Sh7 billion on a monhtly basis from December to June next year.
"By Thursday 5th December 2024 he will disburse Sh5 Billion and thereafter he will disburse Sh7Billion every month until we complete June next year. From January to June 2025, it will be a disbursement of Sh7 Billion every month," he stated.
"All the arrears for the financial year 2023/2024 have been cleared when you go for recess, go and work for the people," Wetangula said.
A three-judge bench dealt the NG-CDF kitty fund a blow after they declared the fund unconstitutional for violating the principle of separation of powers.
Justices Kanyi Kimondo, Mugure Thande, and Roselyne Aburili also cited failure by the National Assembly to consult the Senate.
The trio, sitting at Nairobi's Milimani Law Courts, said the fund and all its projects, programs, and activities shall cease to operate on June 30, 2026.The judges said it will not be in the interest of the nation or justice to bring it to an abrupt closure.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa urged MPs to fast-track submission of NG-CDF project proposals to the fund board to ensure quick approval and disbursement of the monies for several development projects.
"The CS National Treasury has assured he will disburse the Sh 7 billion at the end of December to ensure we have adequate resources for the disbursement of bursaries at the beginning of January when the children are going back to school. Even as we go for long recess those who are yet to submit proposal please push your boards to do so," he said.
Buuri MP Mugambi Rindikiri however raised alarm that the NG-CDF Board is yet to clear arrears from the last financial year despite the assurances issued by the National Treasury.
"The Vice Chair of NGCDF is saying all the monies have been disbursed but my funds manager is saying the monies haven't been disbursed. I don't who I should trust?"he posed.
Speaker Wetangula however ruled out the concern arguing its not an issue facing the 290 constituencies urging the Buuri MP to cross check the issue with NG-CDF board over the matter.
"Order Hon Rindikiri, your fund manager is not a yard stick for measuring what is going on. Certainly not,he is one fund manager with 290 of them. Just ask him to ask Mr Mbuno the fund manager of the NG-CDF kitty. John Mbadi is a respectable cabinet secretary and he walked to the Speaker office to relay this information, he cant have done that without facts," Wetangula insisted.
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"Remember you were told some of the returns you filed were incorrect and inaccurate and they lead to delays in disbursing the funds," he added.
The NG-CDF allocation will be a matching fund for the construction of the Junior Secondary School (JSS) classrooms as Sh7.8 billion of the fund will construct 5,000 classes while Sh11 billion is coming from MoE to construct the 11,000 classes.
Ministry of Education announced they will ensure JSS classes are complete by January 2025 and there will be no duplicity in the construction of classes in the same school since NG-CDF will not construct classes where the Ministry has already constructed.
