By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Transparency International Zambia says that the nationwide inspection tour of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects by UPND Secretary General, Batuke Imenda, has the potential to politicize the CDF programme.
TI-Z Executive Director Maurice Nyambe said the action, no matter how well intended, has the potential to politicize the CDF programme across the country by blurring the line between Government and party activities.
Mr Nyambe also said it is not in order for government officials to take time from their work to facilitate this nationwide tour since this is a party activity.
“It is very clear in both the Constituency Development Fund Act No. 11 of 2018 and the CDF Guidelines issued in February 2022, that it is the responsibility of the Constituency Development Fund Committee (CDFC) members, the Ward Development Committee (WDC) Members, the District and Provincial Heads of Departments of relevant Ministries and the Local Authority to inspect CDF projects.
“We are not aware of any challenges in executing this function that could justify the involvement of the UPND Secretary General. In light of this, TI-Z calls upon the UPND Secretary General to desist from politicizing the CDF Programme through this nationwide tour. His action has the potential to highlight nepotism and clientelism in the implementation of the Programme,” he said.
He said the Secretary General will certainly be accompanied by party officials and supporters, and will therefore send a message that the CDF programme and the district Government and local authority officials are directly answerable to him and to the party structure.
Mr Nyambe said party supporters will thereafter exercise greater influence on the officials and implementers of the CDF programme.
He said the politicization of the programme will then discourage other citizens, affiliated to other political parties, from participation in the programme.
Mr Nyambe said that CDF should benefit all Zambians and participation should therefore be encouraged across all party lines.
“Any attempt to politicize the CDF programme will compromise the principle of equity, upon which the Fund was established,” he said.
