Senators Urged To Perform Their Oversight Role In Strengthening Devolution

 

Suna West Member of Parliament Peter Masara

Members of the Senate have been urged to perform their oversight role to strengthen devolution instead of focusing on scrapping the National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-NGF).

Suna West Member of Parliament Peter Masara has cautioned the Senators on touching on the NG-CDF saying that the funds have led to tremendous development across the Counties.

Masara who spoke during the official opening of a storey classroom building at Oruba Comprehensive School on the outskirts of Migori Town said that NG-CDF has given people touchable development across the country.

“NG-CDF has improved the education standards of our children and improved the living values of the county residents”, noted Masara.

Early this month, Nominated Senator Tabitha Mutinda said the NG-CDF should be scrapped as part of the measures to reduce expenditure.

She insisted that functions that are development-related are being handled by the national and county governments and MPs should be left to focus on legislative functions.

In November 2023, MPs passed a new law that increased educational bursary funds from 35 to 40 per cent of the NG-CDF.

The Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u had allocated Sh63 billion for NG-CDF in the 2024-2025 Budget to promote regional equity, reduce poverty and enhance social development.

However, the Treasury recently announced cuts in the allocation by Sh15 billion, which could affect bursaries for thousands of students, as well as school projects.

In addition, The Suna West legislature called upon Governors to focus on productive projects that can be felt by the residents to empower them socio-economically.

 

By Geoffrey Makokha