Karonga MPs and councillors tussle over use of CDF

Controversy has erupted between Councillors and Members of Parliament in Karonga the northern border district of Malawi as each side is accusing the other for misusing the 2014-2015 constituency development funds (CDF) in their areas.

Some of the councillors told Nyasa Times that out of K7million, CDF allocation for 2014-2015 for Karonga northwest and Karonga north constituencies, only K3 million is reported to have been spent in the development activities but there is nothing on the ground that is happening by the legislatures hence the need for the MPs’ explanation as the country is heading to 2015-2016 CDF allocation Fund.

Karonga northwest councillor of Chilanga ward Patrick Kishombe and councillor for the north Tuwayile Kanyika pointed out that many on going projects which were intended to be completed with the funds are still hanging in their areas but the period allocated is phasing out without the community seeing the development being completed.

Kanyika further asked the district commissioner to explain the procedures she followed when releasing the funds, describing the handover as illegal.

“The way we were oriented, the law allowed the DC to release the CDF fund only after the director of the public works in our district certified the intended projects and that councilors, chiefs as well as area development committee are familiarized with the matter but surprisingly the development here is totally contradicting,” said Kanyika.

Adding that “as I am speaking a report on how the CDF have been spent is out and about three million Kwacha is said has been used in various development activities in northwest and north constituency but going on the ground we can not point something that our MPs have done with the funds.”

In his remarks, the Senior Chief Karonga concurred with the councillors saying “I am also not aware of how our MPs spend the CD funds of 2014 -2015 budget even though now we have councilors.”

However, the District Commissioner Rosemary Moyo said she used the previous system in the 2014-2015 CDF because the new guideline procedures did not come in time.

“I did not use the current system when I was releasing the funds because its guideline came into my office the time the expenditures were already carried out,” said Moyo.

Reacting to the development, the Karonga northwest constituency legislature John Bond Kamwambi denied the reports saying the councilors are raising the issues because they want to control the funds and also due to the differences in the parties.

“They just want to destroy my reputation toward the community they know that I am in the ruling party and it will be difficult to deal with me in the coming general elections because some of them are planning to stand for the post, on top of that the councillors mostly needs the fund to be under their control so they regard this as the only chance to deal with us but they are failures,” lamented Kamwambi.

Meanwhile the National Initiative for Civic Education through the District Civic Education Officer Christobel Shaba has condemned the development which she described as a setback to the development as well as country’s democracy.