Malawi Government Releases K85.5bn for Constituency Development Projects

Government has released K85.5 billion to local councils under the reformed Constituency Development Fund (CDF), enabling contractors to begin implementing community projects and pushing total CDF-related releases since April to nearly K145 billion. According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation, K85,502,922,291 was released in September as advance payments to contractors awarded CDF projects. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn The funds cover 30 of the country's 36 local councils that have completed procurement processes and identified contractors, with the ministry saying the contractors are now expected to mobilise and begin works. The September release is by far the largest single disbursement listed in the statement. In the same month, Treasury also released K5,487,075,758 for project management costs and K2,862,500,000 for sports development, creative arts and innovation. In August, government disbursed a further K17.175 billion for CDF school bursaries. This means September's project, management and sports-related releases alone amounted to about K93.85 billion, while the August bursary allocation pushed the combined August-September figure to approximately K111.03 billion. These figures come on top of K15 billion released in April for youth and women loans, and K18.84 billion released between May and August for project management costs. Taken together, the listed CDF-related disbursements from April through September amount to approximately K144.87 billion. The latest release comes as Finance Minister Joseph Mwanamvekha has repeatedly stressed that CDF resources must be subjected to proper procedures, transparency and accountability. In July, Mwanamvekha told Parliament that councils must complete the required processes before funds can be released, stressing that "the system is in place to ensure transparency and accountability." He urged MPs to work with councils to ensure that project documentation is submitted on time. Earlier this year, the minister similarly warned that CDF money belongs to the people and emphasised the need for transparency and accountability in its management. The latest figures suggest Treasury is now moving substantial sums into the reformed CDF system, with government maintaining that funds will continue to be released in line with completed procurement and project requirements. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The Ministry says the latest disbursement "is a testament that the implementation of the Reformed Constituency Development Fund is on track," while Treasury has committed to timely releases to councils in accordance with CDF guidelines. The ministry has also cautioned that councils must maintain prudent financial management as the money moves from Treasury to actual projects on the ground. The scale of the latest release is significant: K85.5 billion works out to an average of about K2.85 billion for each of the 30 councils covered, although actual allocations will vary according to approved projects and constituencies. Government's challenge now will be ensuring that the huge sums translate into completed schools, roads, bridges, markets, clinics and other projects, rather than stalled works or financial abuses--a concern that has followed the CDF for years. Research and public debate have previously highlighted concerns over accountability, value for money and management of the fund. Read the original article on Nyasa Times . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and view