Tongaren Member of Parliament, MP Dr John Chikati, led a charged public participation forum uniting residents from all six wards in a spirited push to entrench the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) into the Constitution.
The event, held as part of a nationwide consultation on a proposed constitutional amendment, brought together locals from Milima, Ndalu/Tabani, Naitiri/Kabuyefwe, Soy/Sambu/Mitwa, Tongaren, and Mbakalu wards.
The proposed amendment also seeks to anchor the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF) and the Senate Oversight Fund into law, following legal concerns over the constitutional status of the current frameworks.
Dr Chikati, who is serving his first term in the National Assembly, underscored the pivotal role the NG-CDF has played in transforming Tongaren since his election.
“We have built over 52 schools, constructed boreholes, bought school buses, and improved security through new police stations and chiefs’ offices,” he noted, making a compelling case for the formalisation and increased allocation of the fund.
The MP advocated for bursary allocations to be aligned with actual student populations and proposed a reconfiguration of roles between county governments and MPs.
“County governments should be left with lighter duties. Give MPs the development funds—we are doing more with less,” he said, adding that each constituency should receive up to KSh 1 billion annually for grassroots development.
The meeting was deeply emotional, with residents sharing personal testimonies of how NG-CDF had changed their lives.
Local preacher Yesu wa Tongaren likened the fund to “a cow giving birth to twin calves”, as he credited it with enabling his children’s education. He called on President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga to back efforts to safeguard and grow the fund.
Jackson Mukoya, another resident, highlighted the fund’s role in correcting historical inequities, contrasting the current progress with the underdevelopment during the tenures of former MPs Elijah Mwangale and Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi.
Retired teacher John Nakitare described NG-CDF as “an educational equaliser,” noting that nearly every household in Tongaren had a direct beneficiary.
“We want this bill passed,” he urged.
Former chief Shadrack Changa shared vivid memories of impassable, tree-laden footbridges replaced by modern infrastructure, describing anyone opposing the fund as “an enemy of development”.
Calls for increased funding and inclusivity were echoed by village elder Eunice Muyoka, boda boda association chair David Nyongesa, and business leader Vincent Wasike, who proposed that future allocations include support for people living with disabilities.
Education stakeholders also lent their voices, with Samuel Munialo, headteacher of Manyasa Secondary School, citing NG-CDF-funded projects such as science laboratories and dormitories as transformative for local schools.
Throughout the forum, a clear consensus emerged: Tongaren residents regard NG-CDF as a critical engine of development, one they are determined to protect and expand.
“We have seen what a little money can do. Give us more, and we will do wonders,” concluded Dr. Chikati, drawing loud applause from the crowd.
