MPs to challenge High Court ruling on CDF
Three MPs have said they will appeal the High court ruling declaring the Constituency Development Fund Act unconstitutional.
Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter, Leonard Sang (Bureti) and John Ng’eno (Emurua Dikirr) on Sunday said the ruling went against the spirit of development.
Speaking at Takitech Village in Trans Mara East Sub County of Narok County where they joined thousands of mourners during the burial of famous Kalenjin musician Samuel Sang popularly known as Junior Kotestes, the legislators said that they were unsatisfied with the High Court’s decision and they will have to appeal.
Mr Keter said CDF kitty had been well utilized all in the country.
“Since the introduction of CDF by the government of former President Kibaki in 2003 most parts of the country had experienced tremendous growth unlike in the past when allocation of national resources depended on political correctness,” said Keter.
Mr Sang on his part said it will not be fair to allow governors, some of who are facing accountability questions over their expenditures, to manage the funds.
SUPPORTED COURT RULING
Similar sentiments were also raised by Mr Ng’eno.
“We cannot afford to give all the funds to the county governments since they already have theirs with some of them facing accountability questions. It will be very wrong for them to be given more money which is better used under the supervision of members of the National Assembly,” Ngeno said.
However speaking separately, a catholic cleric, Father Ambrose Kimutai, supported the courts decision saying it will help bring to an end supremacy battles between governors and MPs in the development of their regions.
Fr Kimutai further said the move would also curb the practice by governors and MPs of allocating funds for the implementation of the same projects in any given area.
“I support the court ruling that the existence of CDF kitty was illegal because its establishment in the first place was not anchored in the constitution,” the cleric said.
Speaking to Journalists moments after presiding over a church service at Segemik parish in Siongiroi division, the priest asked leaders to upheld the court ruling.