A section of Lugari constituency residents have unanimously endorsed the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 4 of 2025).
The bill seeks to amend the Constitution and to formally entrench the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), and the Senate Oversight Fund.
The residents, led by area Member of Parliament Nabii Nabwera, said the NG-CDF has been a game changer and a lifeline for grassroots development since its inception; hence, it should not be scrapped.
They made the endorsement yesterday during a public participation forum on the bill at Matete sports grounds.
Nabwera who passionately advocated for the entrenchment of the kitty in the constitution, beseeched his constituents to support the Bill emphasizing its crucial role in developing school infrastructure and supporting the education of students from needy backgrounds.
He slammed governors who want the funds from the kitty to be disbursed through the counties, saying they are anti-development.
He analogized: “If you have a home and you have failed to keep it clean, can you go to your neighbour and tell him that if you give me your home, I will ensure it is clean? Will your head be normal?
“I want to ask the Kenyan governors, if you are unable to properly utilize an allocation of Sh400 million, what will you do even if they add to you the Sh63 million allocated to the NG-CDF kitty?”
The legislator further said the idea to scrap the NG-CDF is a misguided political conspiracy aimed at perpetuating poverty in disadvantaged for many generations.
“Kenya has one big problem. Wealthy individuals who have been in leadership for long do not want children from poor backgrounds whose education and success depend on NG-CDF to be at par with them.” he declared.
He said despite the many infrastructural challenges schools in the constituency have faced for ages, the county government has never made any investment in them.
Participants who gave the NG-CDF a clean bill of health enumerated a myriad of accrued benefits.
Chevaywa location, Chief Alex Goricho, supported the Bill saying he has managed to have a decent office courtesy of the NG-CDF.
He stated that instead of thinking of doing away with the kitty, the national government should find ways of doubling its allocation from 2.5 percent to 5 percent.
Pastor Johnstone Juma said it is only through NG-CDF that a child from a poor background can acquire education and have a chance to share a table with children from wealthy backgrounds.
He added that it is only through the fund that ordinary citizens can access essential services easily.
Sarah Naswa acknowledged the NG-CDF’s impact in the constituency, saying it should never be tampered with.
She said all residents have benefitted directly or indirectly from the kitty; hence, “I support its entrenchment in the Constitution 100 percent.”
Matete Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) Chair Enock Keya added:
He said, “I strongly support this Constitution (Amendment) Bill meant to safeguard NG-CDF, which has immensely helped Mahanga Secondary School, which I head.
“Through the fund we have been able to establish new classrooms, a library, and a dormitory. Additionally, we have also been promised Sh4 million for the purchase of additional land to expand the school.
With the 20-year-old fund’s future looking bleak after the High Court declared it unconstitutional and directed that it be wound up by next year, wrangles between governors and legislators have persisted with divergent views on how it should be run and under which tier of government it should be domiciled.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait
