On 22 July 2008, Policy Forum was invited to send members to meet with a subcommittee of the Parliamentary House Business Committee to express its views regarding a Constituency Development Fund likely to be legislated by Parliament during 2008. This meeting was called immediately following a one-week study tour undertaken by Policy Forum Members from 12 to 20 July 2008 to Mombasa, Kenya to observe how the CDF is implemented and monitored in Bahari Constituency, Kilifi, Mombasa.

By Patrick Kisembo, Dodoma

The Policy Forum has said that the concept of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) which is intended to empower people at the grassroot level financially is a high risk for the government to undertake at the moment.

Members of various non-governmental organisations raised the concern in Dodoma yesterday during a debate that discussed the establishment of the fund.

In collaboration with Mwanza Policy Initiative (MPI), Policy Forum is this week organising a social accountability monitoring workshop in Mwanza for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).

The workshop, which runs from the 28th to 1st of July, is part of Policy Forum's objective of enhancing the capability of CSOs to understand, monitor and effectively engage with and influence national and local policy processes.