Residents of Kisumu Central share views on fate of NG-CDF

The Bill seeks to amend the constitution of Kenya 2010 so as to entrench the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF), the Senate Oversight Fund (SOF) and the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAF) into the constitution.

In Kisumu Central, residents who turned up in large numbers to give their views at the NG-CDF offices in Tom Mboya estate, endorsed the proposal to have the fund etched in the constitution because of the numerous development projects it has funded since its establishment in 2002.

Nyaori Nyang’ wondered why some politicians have come out ‘guns blazing’ against NG-CDF yet the national government only disburses 2.5 percent of its annual budget to the fund.

Instead of pushing to have it wiped out, Nyang said more financial resources should be added to NG-CDF to support education, health and security initiatives in communities.

“Over 60 percent of your taxes remain in the national treasury. Only 2.5 percent is disbursed in the entire country under NG-CDF,” he said.

“The issue should not be about doing away with it, it should be about improving NG-CDF allocation to at least 5 percent.”

ODM party leader Raila Odinga is among politicians pushing for the winding up of NG-CDF, so that the money allocated to the fund can be channeled to the 47 counties across the country.

However, NG-CDF national board chairman John Olago Aluoch, addressing Kisumu Central residents on Monday said the fund is not a function of the county governments, ruling out the possibility of channeling NG-CDF allocation to counties.

“The 2.5 percent that NG-CDF administers as an agency of the national government are funds of the national government share of the annual revenue. And the law is very clear that NG-CDF will exclusively entertain functions of the national government,” added the former Kisumu West MP.

The public participation exercise will end on Thursday, May 08, 2025.