Inflation Eroding CDFs: Molokele

Hwange Central legislator Daniel Molokele has lamented inflationary pressures that are stifling development of communities through Constituency Development Funds (CDF) which have resultantly become inadequate.

Molokele who has been focusing on developing 17 wards making up his constituency said he will continue to implement various programs that improve the livelihoods of the Hwange community, but admitted that they could have done better if the CDFs were not affected by the country’s inflation.

 “We could have done better but inflation affected our projects. Looking at this case where we are supposed to cover 17 wards and you are given only $2 million in RTGS which is being affected by inflation every day, it becomes very difficult to come out with very meaningful projects that may change the lives of the community,” said  Molokele.

Currently he is on the drive to drill and establish boreholes that are set to improve the livelihoods of those living in rural communities under his constituency but the $ZWL2 million received was sufficient to develop just three rural wards, namely 12, 13 and 20.

“We had targeted to drill 9 boreholes in this community, but unfortunately due to the inflation the contracted company only managed to drill 3 of the bore holes for the rural community,” he said.

He appealed to the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Professor Mthuli Ncube to come up with reasonable amounts that are adequate enough especially considering the country’s unstable economic environment.

Villagers in these communities were failing to have access to clean water for years. Three boreholes were drilled in each ward as a way of improving their livelihoods.

Ward 20 village head Dolika Sithole from Chamashoko village which also received a borehole, applauded the efforts made by the MP in bringing water to the community.

“We really appreciate this initiative; we finally have access to clean water. Previously we would walk long distances in search of water, but I’m grateful that our lives are being changed, and the shortage of water is now history,” he said.

The Ward’s Councillor, Ishmael Kwidini echoed similar sentiments and appreciated the borehole drilling initiative in his community.

“We really appreciate the efforts but it was going to be ideal if we had more boreholes in the ward .There is a need to have an increased allocation on the CDF funds. However this newly established borehole will surely make a difference in my ward,” Cllr Kwidini said.

The government allocated ZWL$420 million to Constituency Development Fund in the 2021 national budget, which translated to $2 million RTGS per constituency.

The CDFs are given to National Assembly members to carry out developmental projects in their constituencies as part of the deliberate efforts by the government to develop communities. Indaba