Activists out to block MPs from constituency funds

[nngu007]

Tuesday, 15 March 2011 23:17
Dar es Salaam. Seven civil organizations yesterday filed a petition at the High Court seeking nullification of the newly enacted Constituency Development Catalyst Fund (CDCF) Act which, they claim among other reasons, compromises powers of the National Assembly to supervise the executive.Led by the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC), the organizations want the court to declare that the CDCF Act, which came into effect two years ago, is offensive to the Tanzanian constitution.

The petition comes nearly three years after President Jakaya Kikwete fully endorsed the introduction of the CDCF in Tanzania after Kenya and Uganda did the same eight years ago.The parliament overwhelmingly passed the Act in 2009 despite fierce criticism from civil society organisations.
President Kikwete had told the House in 2008 that creation of the fund could not be avoided if Members of Parliament were to be assisted in implementing development projects and to reduce the ‘daily nuisances’ they face in their constituencies. He assented to the Act in August 2009.

But many civil organisations opposed the fund as inappropriate solution to problems facing constituencies. They instead urged the government to suspend the fund and focus on systematic issues arising within the existing development financing arrangements for local governments.
The organizations also argued that the CDCF was unlikely to bring about substantial developmental gains to citizens, which according to them could not be realised through the Local Government Capital Development Grant (LGCDG) and Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF).

In May last year the government said it had set aside Sh 4bn for CDCF and half of the amount would be used to improve road, education and health infrastructure.The first disbursement of the fund was made three months before the general election, which was held on 31 October. Every constituency received an average of Sh 35 million depending on its size, population and the living standard of its people.

Other organisations that joined LHRC in filing the petition are the Policy Forum, the Leadership Forum, Ulanga West Development Organisation, Haki Development Organisation and Uchungu wa Mwana (UMWA).The Attorney General as government’s principal legal adviser is the respondent in the petition. The petitioners argue that introduction of the CDCF Act 2009 was compromising the National Assembly’s role to supervise the government.

They specifically argue that the Act contravenes section 63 and 64 of the constitution, which charges the parliament to oversee and advise the government and its organs in discharging their respective responsibilities.“The CDCF brings constitutional crisis as MPs constituting the National Assembly will not be able to discharge their constitutional functions of overseeing and advising the government on development programmes to which they are parties,” they claim.

On the other hand, the petitioners contend that the constituency fund violates the scheme, structure and the spirit of constitution that provides for separation of powers and functions between the three main organs of the state.
They further argue that giving the MPs the role of managing the fund, undermines the principle of accountability. “ …the Act contradicts the constitutional and democratic principles and elements of constitutionalism under the constitution which uphold the rule of law and principles of accountability and good governance.”

According to the petition, CDCF also contradicts the principle of fair and equitable allocation of resources for public use as it establishes duplicity of functions, coupled with duplicity of public financial expenditure.
“This leads to eroding the provision of article 27 of the constitution which imposes the duty to every person to safeguard the property of the state authority and combat any form of waste or squander,” the petitioners say.
Provisions of the constitution which form the basis of the petition are article 4 b(2), 4 (4), 26 (2), 27 (2) and article 63.The assertion of their argument relates to sections 5(2), 7(3), 10(1) (a), 10(2) and 10 (3) and section 21 (1) of the CDCF Act to the extent that by performing executive functions the MPs would violate article 4(2) of the constitution, which provide for separation of powers and stipulates that one state organ should not perform or interfere with another state organ.

Ultimately, the petitioners want a declaration from the court that the CDCF Act violates the spirit of the constitution, which provides for the supervisory powers of the National Assembly over the executive organ of the state.

 

[kilolambwani]

I agree with the activists' movement, please proceed.

 

[KipimaPembe]

Kuna serikali kuu na serikali za mitaa (local government) ambazo zina mamlaka ya utendaji. Wabunge wanapewa bajeti ya utendaji katika majimbo yao. Bajeti hii kwa kifupi msimamizi wake na mtekelezaji ni mbunge huyo huyo ambaye anatakiwa asimamie serikali (Central na local). Ni miradi ipi itatekelezwa na nani na kusimamiwa na nani itakuwa ni jambo gumu sana. Kifupi huu mfuko ni mradi wa kumfanya mbunge naye ajione mtawala na ukweli awe mtawala badala ya muwakilishi wa wananchi. Kazi za uwakilishi atazifanya lini na kazi za utekelezaji atazifanya lini?

Huu ni muendelezo wa ugawanaji wa fedha za walalahoi bila ya "accountability" yoyote. Mfuko huu wa majimbo tumeukopi kutokea Kenya na Uganda lakini ni mfuko wa kizushi utakaowafanya wabunge wageuke kuwa watawala badala ya wawakilishi. Hauna maana yoyote.

Wabunge hawana mabalaza mengine nje ya halmashauri zao. Majimbo ya uchaguzi si maeneo ya utawala ni maeneo ya uwakilishi wa wananchi. Kwa hiyo mfuko huo unaenda moja kwa moja chini ya udhibiti wa mbunge ambaye hana mfumo wowote wa utendaji chini yake. Matokeo yake ni kuendeleza wimbi lile lile la wizi ambalo kusema ukweli itawageuza wabunge kuwa mateka wa serikali kwani nao ni watendaji na itatakiwa wadhibitiwe na vyombo vya juu vya utendaji serikalini. Na ikiwa hawatadhibitiwa basi itakuwa ni kuwageuza wabunge watawala wa maeneo yao badala ya wawakilishi na itabidi wawekewe watendaji chini yao!

Mfuko huu haufai na haifai kuiga iga vitu! Nina imani mahakama itafanya kile kinachotarajiwa yaani kukubaliana na hoja hizo na kuitangaza sheria iliyounda mfuko huo kinyume na katiba ya nchi. Ni lazima tutawaliwe na sheria si matakwa ya muda mfupi ya watu fulani fulani.

 

[anti-fisadi]

its good for us all, bravo to activists for starting this move. we need a responsible tanzania

money without accountability is nothing, it ended to the pockets of few tz

 

[Smatta]

CDF is a great catalyst for development, it has done wonders in Kenya, what should be done is to ensure that their is proper accountability on the funds once dispatched.. there should be independent commitees in each constituency to monitor the use of the money and the projects that are being bankrolled by the funds, if not the members of parliament will take their constituents hostage and give projects to their cronies..

 

[mob]

CDF is a great catalyst for development, it has done wonders in Kenya, what should be done is to ensure that their is proper accountability on the funds once dispatched.. there should be independent commitees in each constituency to monitor the use of the money and the projects that are being bankrolled by the funds, if not the members of parliament will take their constituents hostage and give projects to their cronies..

please jaribu kusoma CDCF act uone

 

[Mwalimu]

Tatizo kubwa ni wabunge wetu kuangaliwa/kupimwa kwa job description moja tu...Kuwaletea maendeleo wananchi! Hili ni kosa kubwa sana sababu wabunge jukumu lao kubwa ni kutunga sheria na kuisimamia serikali kuhakikisha sheria zinafuatwa.

Sijui Wakuu wa Mikoa/Wilaya kazi yao hasa ni nini? Ndio maana wanaonekana wapo wapo tu hawana kazi za maana!!

 

[Smatta]

please jaribu kusoma CDCF act uone

Labda wewe ndio hujanipata vizuri mkuu, nilimaanisha hiyo idea ya CDCF ni nzuri na muhimu sana, lakini inafaa some ammendments kabla haijakuwa implimented. unafaa kuangalia CDF vile imeleta meandeleo Kenya, kwa kuwa kitambo kuna areas zilikuwa ziko sidelined lakini sasa zina pata hela kulingana na mahitaji na kuna oversight committees ambazo zina toa reports kuhusu utumiaji wa hela hizo.

 

[mob]

Labda wewe ndio hujanipata vizuri mkuu, nilimaanisha hiyo idea ya CDCF ni nzuri na muhimu sana, lakini inafaa some ammendments kabla haijakuwa implimented. unafaa kuangalia CDF vile imeleta meandeleo Kenya, kwa kuwa kitambo kuna areas zilikuwa ziko sidelined lakini sasa zina pata hela kulingana na mahitaji na kuna oversight committees ambazo zina toa reports kuhusu utumiaji wa hela hizo.

sawa nimekupata mda huu lakini kumbuka kuwa imeleta maendeleo baada ya cso kufanya kazi ya ziad tembelea watu wa MUHURI walivyofanya kazi vizuri hadi hii ikawezekana.ok by the way sio lazima kufanya kazi kwa kuiga inabidi kufanya kazi kwa makini na kuwa creative