The government has increased the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocations to parliamentarians from $50 000 to $200 000 with immediate effect.
This was revealed by Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube on Thursday while responding to legislators during debate on the Mid-Term Budget Review Statement and Supplementary Budget presented on 1 August. He said:
Honourable Members would also be pleased to note that we have increased the budget for the CDF from $50 000 to $200 000 per member.
CDF is a financial grant made to MPs to carry out development projects in their respective constituencies. It is given to members of the National Assembly and not Senators.
Parliamentarians used to get the $50 000 during the multi-currency era and with the return of the Zimbabwe Dollar, it has been considered very inadequate.
The supplementary budget was passed after initial resistance from opposition MDC Alliance members.