Editor's Review

"I support Gen Zs 100 percent but one thing we will disagree with them is on the issue to do with CDF."

Mumias East MP Peter Salasya has issued a warning to young people against supporting the removal of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).

In a statement on Wednesday, September 25, Salasya stated that he would distance himself from the youth's push for reforms if they backed the scrapping of the fund.

The first-time lawmaker claimed that the removal of NG-CDF would lead to the collapse of the country.

"I support Gen Zs 100 percent but one thing we will disagree with them is on the issue to do with CDF. Most of them think the CDF work is only to do with bursaries. All the national government-related functions are being coordinated through the CDF kitty. If you want to remove the CDF, it is like you want to collapse this country," Salasya remarked.

He added, "If you continue opposing CDF, I will disassociate myself with your call to have reforms in this country because you don't understand yourselves." 

File image of Mumias East MP Peter Salasya.

His remarks come after a three-judge bench by the High Court declared NG-CDF unconstitutional on Friday, September 20.

This followed a petition filed in 2016 by the Katiba Institute.

In its petition, Katiba Institute challenged the constitutionality of the funds, noting that it breached the legality of the NG-CDF Act 2015 and the principles of Public Finance.

However, in the judgement rendered on Friday, the judges gave the current NGCDF a gross period of one year and eight months lapsing at midnight on June 26, 2026, when the Fund will cease to exist.

Consequently, the National Assembly disclosed that it would file an appeal against the ruling at the Court of Appeal after expressing dissatisfaction with the High Court verdict.

NG-CDF is usually allocated to all the constituencies in Kenya and is used to fund various programmes such as the building of roads, the construction of schools and the issuance of scholarships, among others.