Zimbabwe Parliamentarians fail accountability test

Statement:

DISBURSEMENT OF FUNDS TO CDF COMMITTEES

THE HON. SPEAKER : In terms of Article 6 (1) (b) of the CDF Constitution, the Parliamentary Staff Management Committee shall disburse money to constituencies for project implementation. This requirement empowers the CDF Parliamentary Staff Management Committee to release money for identified projects only. Constituency Development Committees are required to identify projects within their constituencies by conducting consultative processes with all stakeholders in the constituency which must then be approved by the Constituency Development Committee in terms of Article 9 (1) of the CDF constitution.

Constituencies that have submitted their bank account numbers are now required, in terms of Article 6 of the CDF constitution as read together with Section 12 of the Accounting Officer’s Manual, to submit:

1) A list of identified projects;

2) A minimum of three quotations for each project showing the estimated cost of each project;

3) The total estimated cost for all identified projects must not exceed $50 000;

4) Signed minutes of the CDF Committee showing approval of projects.

Those four conditions must be met. Please note, the quotations are required for purposes of calculating the estimated cost of each project and not for approval of projects by the Parliamentary Staff Management Committee.

Constituencies are therefore urged to comply with the above instructions in order to enable the Parliamentary Staff Management Committee to release money into the Constituency Development Committee bank accounts. To date, only 129 constituencies have submitted the initial documentation and their bank accounts. Out of that figure only two have fully complied with the CDF Constitution and the Accounting Officers’ Manual and have submitted their project list as well as the estimated cost for their identified projects.

The Management Committee has set in motion the process of disbursing their money which is expected in their bank accounts anytime soon. Five submissions did not comply with the provisions of the Constituency Development Fund Constitution and 74 have not made any submission at all.

Hon. Members, you are urged to attend to this matter urgently. This is to your advantage in promoting development in your respective constituencies. This circular, I have asked staff to ensure that this

circular is in your pigeon holes. Collect it so that you are guided accordingly.

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