Mkandawire Raises Eyebrows as Parliament Pushes for New CDF Law
Parliament’s move to introduce a new law governing the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has triggered sharp surprise — and thinly veiled suspicion — from local government authorities, with Malawi Local Government Association (Malga) Executive Director Hadrod Mkandawire openly questioning the motives behind the push.
This follows a motion by Mzimba East MP Emanuel Chambulanyina Jere, who yesterday urged the August House to craft a bill that would provide a legal framework for managing and allocating the CDF. Jere argued that current operations rely on guidelines that the Constitutional Court recently flagged as problematic.
But while MPs praised the proposal as a step toward accountability, Mkandawire bluntly asked: why now?
“We already have CDF guidelines in place at councils,” he said, registering his astonishment at Parliament’s sudden appetite for legislation. “We appreciate the provisions being proposed, but we are wondering about the hidden motivation behind introducing a legislative piece when mechanisms for managing local development funds already exist.”
His remarks highlight a growing suspicion in decentralisation circles that new laws could undermine existing local governance systems — or worse, reintroduce political control under the guise of reform.
Mkandawire warned that Malga would not sit back if the bill weakens decentralisation principles. “If the proposed legislation in any way undermines the principles of decentralisation and local development, it will be challenged,” he cautioned.
Jere, however, insisted that the bill would align CDF with President Peter Mutharika’s recent address and address issues raised by the Judiciary. Phalombe East MP Robert Mwina backed him, calling CDF a critical engine of development and praising the President’s commitment to implementing the fund in line with court rulings.
The debate comes on the heels of a damning civil society report exposing widespread abuse, corruption and political interference in CDF management. Earlier this year, the High Court ruled that lawmakers must not be involved in the handling of CDF funds — a decision many believe Parliament has been slow to fully embrace.
As MPs push forward with legislative changes, Mkandawire’s surprise — and suspicion — signals deeper tensions: whether this is genuine reform, political repositioning, or an attempt to reclaim influence lost to the courts.
One thing is clear: the battle over who controls the CDF has just entered a new, confrontational phase.