Governance expert, Wesley Miyanda, has expressed concern over the failure by Roan and Luanshya constituencies to implement any Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects for the years 2023 and 2024, describing the situation as the tip of the iceberg of what is happening in many other constituencies across the country.
This week, the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government Accounts heard that the Luanshya Municipal Council failed to carry out any of the 22 planned development projects in both Roan and Luanshya Central constituencies in 2023, citing failed procurement processes.
But Mr. Miyanda said government must not allow such failures to persist, alleging that similar situations are occurring in several other local authorities across the country.
“The newly appointed Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Gift Sialubalo, and his team should step up to ensure that those responsible for such inefficiencies are not only removed from managing CDF but also punished for economic sabotage,” said Mr. Miyanda in a statement issued to RCV News in Lusaka today.
He also said that the continued failure by councils to implement CDF projects is depriving young people of access to survival skills training in areas such as carpentry, driving, metal fabrication, tailoring, and design skills that are vital for economic empowerment and national development.
By Angel Kasabo
