By Doreen Chiwalo

Mwanza, July 6, Mana: Limodzi Foundation (LIFO), a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with funding from International Republican Institute (IRI) has sensitized community leaders in Mwanza on government’s intention for introducing various development funding windows to the district councils.

The Organization highlighted that some of the objectives government introduces various funding windows was to ensure prudent expenditure of the funds for the benefit of all community members in the district.

Speaking during the meeting conducted at Thambani in Traditional Authority (TA) Govati in the district on Friday, LIFO Director, Petros Mtseka described the meeting as critical.

He said the orientation was aimed at empowering the communities with knowledge on how funding windows such as Constituency Development Fund (CDF), Local Development Fund (LDF), District Development Fund (DDF) and Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) funds are generally meant for facilitation of development projects in their respective areas.

“Now that the knowledge gap has been covered it translates that community members through their leaders will be able to take stock on development activities done and take action in case there is dissatisfaction on how the funds have been used,” Mtseka said.

TA Govati’s Area Development Committee Chairperson, Sebastian Kachipapa commended LIFO for the intervention, saying it was an eye opener.

“We did not know that we had a responsibility of providing checks and balances over these funds but now we will be watchdogs to each other to ensure that no individual benefits from the funds other than developing our area,” he said.

The Sensitization was conducted in Mwanza West attracted church representatives, the business community, persons with disabilities including those with albinism.

The intervention is expected to roll out to the other constituency of Mwanza Central.

CDF is a source of funds that is made available to a Member of Parliament to facilitate minor development projects in their respective constituency which is now pegged at K200 million per constituency while the LDF and DDF are inter-governmental fiscal transfer mechanism through which local authorities can have access of resources for local development projects.

On the other hand, GESD funds are disbursed through the National Local Government Finance Committee on performance based approach to local councils.