Ben Phiri says market investments will boost councils’ local revenue

Minister of Local Government Ben Phiri has reaffirmed that Malawi’s decentralisation

agenda is shifting decision-making and resources away from central government and towards local councils, positioning communities as the primary drivers of development.

Speaking after a parliamentary sitting, Phiri said government had moved resources back to councils, with central government now focused on providing policy direction and advisory support rather than determining projects directly.

He said, under the decentralisation framework, most development projects would now be identified and prioritised at council level, based on the needs of local communities, rather than being decided centrally.

Phiri added that investments in modern markets would not only improve trading conditions for communities but would also strengthen councils’ capacity to generate local revenue, enhancing their ability to finance service delivery and local development going forward.