Some Zimbabwean members of Parliament have already run throough the US$50,000 constituency development funds disbursed by the Treasury in November, spending them on school projects, new boreholes for clean water and irrigation works.
But legislators said the funds do not go very far so most constituencies have focused on projects left unfinished when the Zimbabwe dollar and economy collapsed in late 2008.
Gwanda North lawmaker Thandeko Zinti Mnkandla said his constituency used the money to rehabilitate school infrastructure.
Masvingo villager Francis Mukanya said the constituency funds quickly ran out.
“We have been expecting to get funding for our cattle-rearing project but nothing has been provided by our MP because the funds are almost exhausted,” said Mukanya.
Programs Manager Mmeli Dube of the National Youth Development Trust said young people are being left out in consultations on which projects to fund.
