MPs Demand Immediate CDF Disbursement
Legislators are demanding that the National Government Constituency Development Funds for educational bursaries be disbursed immediately.
Even after a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court deemed the fund illegal, lawmakers have been plotting to get the multi-million shilling fund restored through a change to the 2013 CDF Act.
The MPs assert that the ongoing delay in disbursing the funds will have a negative impact on thousands of disadvantaged learners even as the first term of school begins across the nation.
“We will seek an audience with the treasury over the matter,” said the lawmakers who are attending an induction workshop organized by the National Assembly through the Directorates of Departmental Committees, & the Audit, Appropriations, & other Select Committees.
The purpose of the orientation retreat is to provide members of parliament with the skills necessary to fulfill their constitutional duties of representation, oversight, and legislation effectively and efficiently.
KIRINYAGA BURSARY
Anne Waiguru, the governor of Kirinyaga, has put twenty committees to monitor the distribution of bursaries in wards.
The committees, composed of five individuals from diverse sectors, will work closely with Members of County Assembly (MCAs) to help disadvantaged students.
The governor announced last week that her administration has allocated around Ksh 95 million for deserving student bursaries for the Fiscal Year 2022/2023.
The governor stated, “We have budgeted Ksh 95 million for the bursaries, and we have sent out applications for students in need to apply for the funds.”
Each ward is scheduled to receive approximately Ksh 7.4 million from the bursary funds. The funds are anticipated to serve an average of 40,000 underprivileged students across the county.
The County Departments of Education and Public Service organized a joint orientation event for committees around the County.
The purpose of the orientation is to familiarize committee members with the bursary application, verification, and allocation processes.
James Mutugi Kinyua, member of the County Executive for Education and Public Service, stated that committee members are recruited from civic societies, professional organizations, and religious groups in the individual wards.
The County Government will select one former official to serve as Committee Secretary.
Kinyua requested that the ideals of fairness, transparency, and equity drive the selection and distribution of the bursaries.
“The bursary committee in each ward is responsible for creating awareness about the fund, receiving, reviewing and approving applications for bursary as well as determining the amount of bursary to be awarded to the approved applicants,” he said.
He stated that secondary, college, and university students, including orphans, those with impairments, and those from extremely impoverished households, are eligible for the bursaries.
“We want to ensure that the vetting process is above board and that’s why the committees will invite applicants to appear in person before it as well as physical visits to the home of the applicants,” he added.
The committees are required to assess the submissions within a maximum of fourteen days after the submission deadline.
MPs Demand Immediate CDF Disbursement
