INCOMPETENT MPs TO BE NAMED AND SHAMED

MEMBERS of Parliament must claim development funds under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) by March 31 and those who lose out after failing to submit the required documents will be named, the Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda, has said.

Making an announcement in the National Assembly on Wednesday, the Speaker also said all members must account for monies allocated to their constituencies before the dissolution of Parliament.

Adv Mudenda said the CDF constitution does not allow funds to be used to employ people. He said MPs who have not submitted any documentation are advised to do so by March 31 and those who would not have done so by that deadline will be named.

So far 166 MPs out of 210 National Assembly members have received $50 000 each.“The duties of the sub-committee are listed in Article 5,2 and Article 5.2.3 states one of the duties as follows and I quote: “Maintaining cash book and other relevant records. The committee shall delegate this responsibility to one of the members with an accounting or administration background,” he said.

“Let me also remind you honourable members that the Member of Parliament who is the chairperson is the accounting officer of the funds allocated for his or her constituency and must, for purposes of accountability, comply with the requirements of submission of returns as stipulated in the Accounting Officer’s manual for tabling to the Committee on Standing Rules and Orders annually by the Clerk of Parliament.”

Adv Mudenda said the CDF must be audited by the Auditor General at the end of each financial year.

“The objective of the Fund is to allocate monies equitably to constituencies for the purposes of constituency development and poverty eradication. The Constitution does not provide for the employment of staff to manage the fund or the payment of allowances for Committee members, hence the requirement in Article 9 (3) of the CDF Constitution as read together with Article 5.1 of the Accounting Officers Manual,” said Adv Mudenda.

He said in terms of the fund’s provisions, the CDF committee must establish a sub-committee on finance and procurement which consists of three members, one of them having an administration or accounting background. Herald

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