𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 

The National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) Committee yesterday met Githunguri MP, Hon. Gathoni Wamuchomba regarding her legislative proposal dubbed the NG-CDF (Amendment) Bill 2023.

 The Committee, Chaired by Hon. Musa Sirma (Eldama Ravine) sought to know more about the implications of the proposal, and to offer additional input before drafting a Report that precedes the publication stage.

 In the Legislative Proposal, Hon. Wamuchomba argues that constituencies with huge populations are disadvantaged by the current allocation formula which lays more focus on the number of wards in the constituency, irrespective of the individual needs based on the population index.

The fund has an annual budgetary allocation totaling at least 2.5 percent of the National Government’s share of revenues.

Of this, 75 percent is shared equally among all the 290 constituencies, with the remaining 25 percent being distributed on the basis of the number of wards in each constituency.

According to Hon. Wamuchomba densely populated constituencies; especially those in cosmopolitan areas with massive influx of non-residents are constrained in funding of critical NG-CDF functions such as education bursaries.

She requested the Committee to introduce further amendments to the proposal to fix all other existing disparities for a more equitable distribution of the kitty, which may not be captured in her proposal.

“The Committee may propose other parameters for inclusion in the formula in allocation of funds to constituencies such as infrastructure, land size and poverty index,” said Hon. Wamuchomba. 

Hon. Sirma noted the urgency and necessity of the legislative proposal to be published as a Bill, indicating that the Committee would share further amendments to enhance it. 

“We shall meet to draft a report on this. I must admit that this is a very impressive legislative proposal which raises very critical issues,” said Hon. Sirma.

 If approved by the Committee, the legislative proposal, alongside any other amendments from the Hon. Sirma led team will be published as a Bill, and subjected to all the subsequent legislative processes.