Sluggish CDF project implementation worries Haimbe

LUSAKA Central Member of Parliament, Mulambo Haimbe says he is frustrated by the procrastination of the Lusaka City Council (LCC) in the implementation of approved Constituency Development Fund (CDF) projects in his constituency.
In an interview with Millennium Radio, Mr Haimbe said most CDF projects in the constituency had been delayed at local authority level despite securing approval for full funding of the projects.
Mr Haimbe said it was unfortunate that approved projects had not been implemented when CDF for the years 2022 and 2023 has remained untouched in the local authority’s account.
“In terms of Lusaka, generally, I would say that we have a challenge with the manner of implementation of the decisions of those that play the first primary roles in the CDF process. When I say that those that play the first primary roles, I’m referring to the Ward Development Committees within that refer projects and, and all matters relating to CDF to the CDF committee comprising, the persons who are indicated in the CDF Act as being members of the CDF committee who include the councillor and the MP,” Mr Haimbe said.
He has accused the Ward Development Committees (WDC) at primary stage level of allegedly causing delays in the implementation of CDF projects in his constituency.
Mr Haimbe has since urged the municipality and all authorities involved in the implementation of the approved CDF projects to help expedite development not only in Lusaka Central constituency but also the entire country.
“But a critical problem that we seem to be facing in Lusaka is that the CDF projects that are approved by the committee and have gone through the mill with the Minister of Local Government now appending implementation through the procurement process that is getting the actual contractors who will do the works.
“I mean, that is where we seem to have a few challenges within Lusaka City Council. I’d like to use this opportunity to ask the council to pull up its socks. We have engaged numerous times but it’s very, very slow to get the actual implementation done.
The good thing is that the projects have been identified, the monies for those projects are sitting in the accounts as we speak for Lusaka Central Constituency, we have a couple of running programmes,” Mr Haimbe said.