Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro has underscored the need for the national government to ensure more funds are decentralised to the grassroots to benefit Kenyans more.
The MP, who spoke at Ndikwe Primary School while commissioning renovation of its classrooms and installation of cabros in its compound, said the debate on whether the NG-CDF should be abolished should be on whether the government should add more funds to the kitty.
The kitty, the MP said, has effected serious change in the grassroots through development projects while supporting needy students with bursaries.
“As we continue with this debate, it’s good to consider the impact of NG-CDF, which handles national government functions such as education and security,” he said.
In September last year, Justices Kanyi Kimondo and Roselyn Aburili declared NG-CDF as amended in 2022 and 2023 unconstitutional.
The judges ruled that its projects, programmes and activities shall cease at the stroke of midnight on June 30, 2026 while a third judge, Justice Mugure Thande, ruled it should end a year earlier, on June 30, 2025.
The judges further ruled that MPs had no role in handling development and that they have been encroaching on the roles designated for county governments, in a petition filed by Wanjiru Gikonyo and Cornelius Opuot.
The petitioners accused the National Assembly of disregarding the Senate while establishing the NG-CDF Act and that they made it in a way that allowed them to control its implementation.
The fund established 2003 faced a similar fate in 2020 when a three-judge bench comprised of Justices Isaac Lenaola (Supreme Court), David Majanja (deceased), and Mumbi Ngugi (Court of Appeal) declared it unconstitutional.
They however allowed MPs a period of one year to make the necessary law amendments to align the fund to the constitution and lawmakers established the NG-CDF Act.
Nyoro however noted that doing away with the kitty would disadvantage many Kenyans who depend on it especially for bursaries.
In Kiharu, the kitty has helped subsidise school fees for all day secondary schools, renovated all 112 public primary schools, started seven new secondary schools and facilitated Kiharu Fanikisha programme that trains local youths for free in local vocational institutions.
“The debate should be on whether more funds should be added
into the kitty. It has implemented projects in almost all villages in the
country. The government should be finding ways of moving funds as much as
possible to the villages,” he said.
Without it, he noted, parents seeking bursaries would have
to seek help from the Ministry of Education and that NG-CDF makes it easier for
them to access it.
Nyoro further noted that giving MPs the oversight role over the
kitty motivates them to ensure as much development as possible is effected because
they know they will be held accountable by voters.
The MP also challenged the government to continue enabling county governments to offer bursaries to ensure as many children
as possible are retained in school against the high cost of living.
But his Gichugu counterpart Gichimu Githinji said MPs will
be conducting public participation in their constituencies on whether the kitty
should be entrenched in the constitution.
“Kenyans have indicated their support for the kitty because
it helps them. From next week, we have agreed to commence public participation
in our constituencies so they can say if they want it included in the
constitution.
“This kitty supports needy students. It does not benefit us
as MPs. I have children in school and they don’t benefit from these bursaries,”
he said.
Gichugu resident Robert Muriuki echoed the MP’s sentiments,
saying it has helped establish police posts, administrators’ offices and
renovate schools, a burden that would have been shouldered by the community in
its absence.
“We have seen a positive impact of the kitty and putting MPs in charge of it makes sure it’s well implemented because they have to answer to their constituents during elections”.
