Nakuru County Governor Susan Kihika has strongly opposed any attempt to abolish the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), terming it a vital tool for grassroots development across the country.

Speaking during the launch of a new school bus at Mercy Njeri Secondary School in Rongai, the governor underscored the importance of the fund in transforming lives at the local level.

“I strongly oppose any move to abolish NG-CDF due to its vital role in grassroots development,” Kihika stated.

Legislative support

Kihika’s remarks come on the heels of the National Assembly’s unanimous passage of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

The bill, introduced by Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo and Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga, seeks to entrench the NG-CDF, the Senate Oversight Fund (SOF), and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) into the Constitution.

The bill passed its second and third readings with 304 and 298 votes, respectively, following extensive public participation that showed more than 98 percent support. Currently, NG-CDF allocates Ksh54.7 billion annually to constituencies to fund projects such as bursaries and school infrastructure, complementing county efforts under NGAAF and SOF.

Supporters say the fund fills critical gaps in access to education and local development, especially in areas not fully covered by county budgets. “Counties cannot provide bursaries due to legal restrictions,” Amollo clarified during the debate, while Tharaka MP George Murugara defended the fund as complementary rather than duplicative.

However, some civil society organisations, including the Katiba Institute, have raised constitutional concerns about the fund’s structure, signalling a possible legal debate as the bill heads to the Senate for further approval.

She noted that in Rongai alone, over 4,000 learners had benefited from Ksh27 million in bursaries. Other initiatives made possible through government and constituency-level collaboration include the ECDE feeding program, which has improved school enrolment, and the equipping and solarisation of boreholes. The county has also overseen road rehabilitation, ongoing work on the Kamugei Water Project, and the Rongai Sub-county Hospital, now 33 percent complete.