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Murkomen opposes Raila’s push to transfer NG-CDF from MPs control
03rd September, 2025 06:29 PM
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, openly opposed ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga over the ongoing debate around the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NGCDF).
Speaking during the Jukwaa La Usalama Chapter event in Busia County, Murkomen said he cannot even dare entertain any thought that NGCDF should be snatched away from Members of Parliament.
Murkomen’s support for NGCDF
Murkomen firmly declared his support for the fund, noting that it has transformed communities since its establishment.
“Despite the debate that is happening in the public, I am the number one supporter of NGCDF. I was a senator. I was never a member of the National Assembly.
“When I was elected in 2013, in my constituency, we used to do harambees for schools. Now, I have never attended a single harambee in my constituency and county, but NGCDF sorted all those problems.
“In whatever form and style I support NGCDF 100% because you cannot tell someone in Budalangi pesa milioni mia moja therathini ambayo ingekuja constituency hiyo, eto kwa sababu ya katiba ama sheria turudishe Nairobi iende ipangwe na Ministry of Education, that one I will not agree,” Murkomen said.
Raila’s counterargument
Murkomen’s remarks came just a week after Raila, during the Katiba@15 celebrations at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on August 27, 2025, strongly criticised the continued existence of the fund.
The ODM leader argued that the fund undermines devolution by bypassing county governments.
“Constituency is not a devolved unit. Devolution has two levels, national and county. It is not right for the national government to bypass counties and create another unit below them,” Raila said.
He added that MPs already enjoy legislative and oversight functions, hence managing development funds puts them in a conflict of interest.
“Parliament is supposed to represent, legislate, and provide oversight, not implement projects.
“If you yourself are a contractor and you are a Member of Parliament, who is overseeing you?” Raila posed.
Raila insisted that this is an issue Kenyans must decide through a referendum, even if his position is unpopular.
On the other hand, Murkomen maintained that the fund is indispensable in uplifting local communities and warned against what he called attempts to “return development money to Nairobi.”
