The MPs
expressed frustration over lack of transparency and accountability in the
allocation of the funds.
Budiriro North
legislator Susan Matsunga appealed to the minister to provide a clear time-line
for the disbursement of the money.
“Kindly give us
a response with dates and days because from the information which you are
sending to the general public, they are thinking that we are abusing those
funds,” Matsunga said.
“I am kindly
asking you to say it clearly so that those people we represent in our
constituencies know that we have not yet received anything from the Finance
ministry.”
Ncube
attributed the delay to resource constraints and administrative challenges
before assuring the lawmakers that the money would be disbursed starting April
10, 2025.
“The
disbursements of those funds will occur soon. Certainly I have been assured
that by the end of next week, there will be quite a bit of movement in
disbursement of these funds,” he said.
“In terms of
policy, our policy is to disburse and support the constituencies through the
CDF mechanism.”
Kuwadzana East
legislator Chalton Hwende pointed out that the minister had misled Parliament
before with regards to the disbursement of the money.
“The question
which was asked was only for you to state a day for next week because there is
a ruling which was made by the Speaker of Parliament on a motion of contempt of
Parliament which he wanted to pass against yourself,” Hwende said.
“This is
because you came to Parliament on three occasions and then you misled
Parliament, resulting in pressure being put on Members of Parliament.
“In Bulawayo,
in our budget meeting, you even gave a date and that was in November. You then
came here, in this august House and that was in December. On three occasions
misleading Parliament and misleading Parliament is a serious offence."
Harare East
legislator Kevin Mutimbanyoka sought clarity on whether the promised
disbursement would be backdated to 2023.
CDF is a
government programme where funds are allocated to elected MPs to develop their
constituencies.
CDF was
allocated ZiG270 million in the 2025 budget.
According to
law, only legislators in the National Assembly who represent constituencies
directly are eligible to receive the funds.
Parliament has
360 legislators but only 210 receive CDF financing. Newsday
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