District council chairpersons, who are winding up their current one-year term in December, have been given until the end of September to submit their own visions setting out development plans for their respective councils. The ultimatum was issued by Secretary for Local Government and Rural Development, Moses Chimphepo, at the opening of a two-day council […]
District councils across Malawi have been handed a tight deadline to submit crucial financial paperwork, after the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) issued an urgent circular demanding details of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) spending. In the circular, dated 20 August 2026, NLGFC Executive Director Dr Kondwani Santhe instructed all District Commissioners and Chief Executive […]
Local government authorities across Malawi are being starved of desperately needed cash, after it emerged councils have received just nine percent of their K1.25 trillion Parliament-approved allocation for the 2026/27 financial year — despite the year already being five months old. The shocking shortfall has sparked fears over stalled projects, spiralling costs and whether government […]
The Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralization says the disbursement of resources under the reformed Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is on track, with MK7.8 billion already released to local councils for project preparatory activities by the end of June 2026. The clarification follows growing public concerns over delays in the release of CDF funds […]
Nearly three weeks after government interdicted district commissioners (DCs) and city, municipal and town council chief executive officers (CEOs) over alleged abuse of Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic funds, officials acting in those positions are still operating without “official appointment letters” from government, Nyasa Times has learnt. The situation has already raised fears among some quarters […]
Civil society orgnaizations under the National Advocacy Platform (NAP) have observed serious flaws in the proposed 2017 Local Government Act Amendment Bill. The Bill was presented to the National Assembly in 2017 and seeks to amend the Local Government Act, Cap. 22:01 of laws of Malawi (the “Act”) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of […]
Chancellor College-based political and governance expert Mustafa Hussein has called for concerted efforts to improve quality of service delivery by district, municipal and city councils, particularly in key public sectors of health, public works, agriculture and education. Hussein made the call in Lilongwe today when he made a presentation on the local authority performance assessment […]
Local authorities have embraced government’s direction to fully implement the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (Ipsas) accrual-based accounting from cash-based accounting as one way of increasing transparency and accountability. National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) has since drilled Finance Directors on the use of recommended system. “Malawi has developed a four-staged implementation approach to full […]
About 11 councils in the country are facing massive under-performances in their governance and development projects largely because government is failing to disburse constituency development funds (CDF) in time, Nyasa Times has learnt. Except at Mzuzu City Council (MCC) where constituency development funds amounting to K91 million were abused, many councils in the country struggle […]
Four district commissioners (DCs) have been transferred in a recent reshuffle in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development amid concerns about frequent transfers of district council chief executives. The ministry spokesperson Muhlabase Mughogho has confirmed the reshuffle and that two directors of planning and development have been appointed DCs to various councils. In […]
Government has cautioned local and town councils against substandard implementation of infrastructure development in the country, saying some structures erected in some local councils ‘leave a lot to be desired.’ Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Kondwani Nankhumwa was speaking Wednesday when he opened the 2019 Local Authorities Conference in Mangochi. Nankhumwa said since […]
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development has adjusted upward allowances for councilors from K80 000 to K100 000 reflecting a 25% increase. Councilors through Malawi Local Government Association( MALGA) submitted a petition to the Ministry in June,2018 for government to consider an increment due to high cost of living Standards in the country […]
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Kiswell Dakamau has said the launch of the Local Authority Performance Assessment (Lapa) will be a game changer in councils’ service delivery in the country. He made the remarks in Lilongwe last week on the sidelines of the Lapa launch at the Bingu International […]