Mvita MP Mohamed Machele has criticized opponents of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), formerly known as the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF), accusing them of spreading misinformation and harming the public.
Speaking at a public participation forum at Mwalimu Centre in Mvita constituency, Machele defended the fund, saying that Members of Parliament have no control over its management, except serving as patrons.
“Critics are misleading the public by portraying the NG-CDF as a personal cash cow for MPs, which is completely false,”
he said.
He added that MPs are often unfairly targeted, especially on social media, where the fund’s use is frequently misrepresented. Machele also expressed frustration over repeated legal challenges to the fund, which have forced major structural changes.
“The fund was initially declared unconstitutional, which led to it being enacted through Parliament in 2003, and later revised to become the NG-CDF,”
he explained.
He noted that legal battles have even led to some components being removed from the fund — such as sports — on the grounds that they fall under devolved functions. As a result, MPs have pushed for the fund’s inclusion in the constitution through the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.
Machele emphasized the importance of the NG-CDF in serving the electorate and reiterated his commitment to its defense. He concluded by stating that he will eventually hand over leadership to someone else.
