Phiri remains neutral as CDF control debate continues

Minister of Local Government Ben Malunga Phiri has declined to take a position on who should control the K5 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF), as uncertainty persists over whether the annual fund should be managed by Members of Parliament (MPs) or Local Councillors.

Phiri told Malawi24 that the matter is still under consideration at the highest levels of government.

He noted that President Arthur Peter Mutharika has not yet assented to a private member’s bill introduced by MPs, and Cabinet has not formally deliberated on it.

“Any position I take must align with Cabinet consensus and presidential guidance once those processes are concluded,” Phiri said.

The bill, introduced by MPs following a Constitutional Court case, aims to safeguard decentralisation by constitutionally securing development resources for local councils.

According to Phiri, the proposed framework would prevent future administrations from reclaiming devolved funds.

However, the Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA) has raised reservations about the legislation.

Executive Director Hadrod Zeru Mkandawire said that several concerns raised during the bill’s passage in the National Assembly remain unresolved, although he praised Phiri for maintaining a neutral stance.

Mkandawire added that MALGA is awaiting guidance from its executive committee, which is expected to determine how councils should respond amid the evolving legal and political landscape surrounding the CDF.

The debate follows a 2025 Constitutional Court ruling that barred MPs from administering the fund, citing conflicts of interest and violations of the separation of powers.

The court removed MPs from CDF management structures and local council voting roles, directing that administration be transferred to other stakeholders.

While some MPs and government officials have challenged the ruling through appeals and legislative initiatives, councillors and civil society organisations maintain that the CDF should be administered by local councils, with MPs limited to oversight roles.

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