Labour based model, where materials and labourers are sourced locally has enabled the Kiharu National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) to minimize their development expenditure by about 40 percent, thus saving on resources to initiate more projects.
Speaking in his constituency, during a benchmarking visit by a group of his counterparts from the National Assembly, Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro said unlike the usual tendering process, the model evades contractors and residents are engaged directly to provide construction materials and labour, which saves on both the overall cost and time.
Nyoro said this has helped him to achieve a lot in terms of implementing cost effective NG-CDF funded projects in the area.
He challenged his fellow legislators to borrow leaf from Kiharu and embrace the same method, while implementing projects in their respective constituencies.
Nyoro explained that through the labour based model they have been able to renovate all the 112 public primary schools in his constituency.
“All the public primary schools were renovated by painting, tiling and re-roofing, hence providing a conducive environment for learners,” he added.
“The tiling of the classrooms also helped to improve hygiene in the schools, while learners are motivated to concentrate in their studies,” Nyoro told his counterparts as he took them for a visit in some of the local schools.
At the same time, Kiharu NG-CDF is currently funding provision of meals in all public day secondary schools in the constituency, where parents are only supposed to pay a fee of Sh1, 000 per term.
Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia who was part of the visiting team said she was determined to learn how to use the model in implementing projects back at home.
“I have learnt that this model emphasizes on transparency and gives people value for money. I hope to use it in doing projects for my constituents,” she said.
On her part, Aldai MP Marianne Kitany revealed that some parts of her constituency still had mud-walled classrooms, hence reducing the cost of projects would help improve them.
“Labour based approach is a perfect example of bottom-up approach, since local youths don’t have to travel to Nairobi to seek jobs. They can instead earn a living through NG-CDF projects, thereby boosting grassroots economies,” she said.
On the other hand, Mogotio MP Reuben Kiborek observed that under the mentorship of Ndindi, they will pick what has worked from his programmes and implement it in their areas.
“As leaders we need to embrace learning from one another. Even developed countries had to benchmark to get to their levels,” he added.
Meanwhile, Nyoro lauded President Dr. William Ruto for writing to parliament with the intent of ensuring the NG-CDF fund is protected by being entrenched in the constitution.
The fund, he said, had contributed immensely to the implementation of Junior Secondary Schools by helping in construction of classrooms, besides assisting many needy students through issuance of bursaries.
By Bernard Munyao
