Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

President William Ruto has warned against the misappropriation of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund and said Members of Parliament who preside over its theft should never be elected.

The president made the remarks during the 20th anniversary of NG-CDF at a Nairobi hotel on Friday, May 3, 2024.

“I want to say this, without fear of any contradiction: any Member of Parliament who presides over the misappropriation of CDF or the theft of CDF should never be elected. 

“They should never be elected because it is the ultimate betrayal of the people who elected you,” Ruto said.

He also took a jibe at MPs who fail to secure re-election despite the fact that they preside over millions of shillings during their parliamentary tenure.

“If you use CDF perfectly, you will be elected. Just that. Because CDF puts at your disposal close to Ksh600 million in your term of five years.

“My friends, with Ksh600m, if you cannot win an election, then you have… I mean… wewe ni bure kabisa.

“I mean surely, Eti mtu ametoka uko, amefanya ukarabati mpaka amekufukaza na umekuwa na Ksh600 million. Unaenda hapa unatangaza shule, unaenda hapa unatangaza halafu unashindwa?” he quipped.

Meanwhile, the Head of State lauded the role that NG-CDF has played in the development agenda of the country.

“Subsequent enhancements, as reflected in various amendments, have fortified the NG-CDF Act as a vital tool for national development. It empowers local communities to partake in resource allocation and project prioritisation, thereby democratising the development process.

“By allocating funds directly to constituencies, the NG-CDF also confers citizens at the grassroots with resources and autonomy to meet their unique development needs with minimal bureaucracy, delays, waste, and inefficiencies,” he added.

NG-CDF impact lauded

Ruto also praised the model used by the national CDF board to disburse funds to the constituencies.

“To put this in context, the NG-CDF national board cannot spend more than 5% of the allocated funds for their administrative functions and must disburse at least 95% to the constituencies where 94% of allocated funds are channelled directly into local development projects, which are overseen by Project Management Committees.

“Only 6% is devoted to administrative and recurrent expenditures.

“This efficient allocation model has significantly improved the visibility and impact of NG-CDF projects nationwide. It also provides useful guidance on the resolve with which we must confront the monster of unnecessary expenditure in order to direct maximum resources to development,” he continued. 

To Ruto, NG-CDF stands as a testament to the power of a people-driven development agenda and the government’s commitment to inclusive and democratic development.

It has also, according to the president, become a reliable source of support for essential sectors such as education, healthcare and security