Victoria Awiti

The Use and Management of Development Funds: the Case of Constituencies Development Fun in Kenya Victoria Awiti

The creation of the Constituencies Development Fund through the Constituencies Development Fund Act of 2003 was a noble gesture towards equitable distribution of resources and steering development from below. The Act vests upon the members of parliament power to manage the fund through the constituency development committee. However the Act gives members of parliament direct access to state resources to further their own interests thereby undermining efficiency in resource use. The book reveals that low level of political institutionalization is favored by the political elite in Kenya as it creates an enabling environment for wealth accumulation through corruption. Loopholes in the Act establishing the kitty has seen Constituencies Development Fund emerge as a new platform for political patronage The fund is a tool for mobilizing support at the grass root level through initiation of development projects in exchange for votes. The book is meant for students pursuing Political Science and Development studies both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels and scholars interested in research on the performance and challenges of decentralization of development resources in Kenya.