Memorandum on Review of the Implementation of the Constituency Development Fund Submitted to the National Assembly Committee on Local Governance, Housing and Chiefs' Affairs
Abstract
Decentralised governance and the principle of subsidiarity was given much needed support when the government expanded the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in 2022. The CDF went from K1.6 million per constituency to K25.7 million for the 2022 budget period. For the 2023 budget period, the government further increased the CDF to K28.3 million per constituency and for the 2024 budget period, another increase was proposed. The CDF allocation per constituency now lies at K30.6 million.
With such a boost to the CDF and the potential for local development that such a provision of funding brings with it, there are understandably concerns. This finance will only help local development if the funding reaches its intended beneficiaries. This calls for an environment that is free from corruption. It also calls for an administration of this fund and its utilisation that is effective.
Description
According to the government’s updated National Decentralisation Policy, Zambia’s socio-economic transformation agenda is to be driven by citizen and community participation. This is in line with Catholic Social Teaching and especially the principle of subsidiarity. As Pope John 23 said in his encyclical, Mater et Magistra, the individual must have the primary responsibility of developing their lives and their families. The role of the State is to augment this individual freedom, to support it, and to protect personal rights. Thus, individual citizens and the State need to co-operate in the development of the economy.