By Johans Mumba

The Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which was recently raised to 220 million kwacha, has become a key campaign tool for political parties hoping to woo Malawians ahead of the 2025 elections.

CDF is a government initiative designed to channel funds directly to constituencies to support local development and poverty alleviation projects.

The fund is typically used to enhance service delivery in sectors such as health, sanitation, education, and agriculture.

However, the initiative has come under fire over the years for alleged corruption, poor accountability, and misuse, often accused of benefiting Members of Parliament more than the communities themselves.

Now, the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) have included bold promises in their 2025 manifestos, to increase the CDF to K500 million and K5 billion respectively, if elected on 16 September.

The Constituency Development Fund was first introduced in the 2006/2007 financial year, with each constituency receiving K1 million.

Over time, this figure has gradually increased.

This initiative was part of government efforts to combat poverty, especially at a time when nearly half of the population was surviving on around 32 US cents a day.

Today, Malawi’s poverty rate remains alarmingly high.

Estimates show that between 75% and 80% of the population lives below the new international poverty line of $3 per day.

In light of this, MCP and DPP argue that increasing CDF allocations to K500 million and K5 billion respectively would help accelerate local development and uplift communities from poverty.

But not everyone agrees. Wilson Nyirenda, from Sub-Traditional Authority Suza in Kasungu, believes MPs frequently misuse the funds, adding that there is a lack of transparency in how funds are allocated and spent.

Nyirenda suggests that instead of increasing CDF, government should focus on improving disbursement mechanisms.

Meanwhile, Falles Munthali from Nkhatabay North Constituency acknowledges that CDF has helped implement notable development projects in the area.

Munthali stresses the need for transparency and accountability to maximize its impact.

Outgoing Chairperson of the Kasungu District Council, Mwambiraso Mbedza, supports increasing the fund, claiming that Malawi’s growing population puts more pressure on limited resources.

Agreeing with Mbedza, the Executive Director of the Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA), Hadrod Mkandawire, says an increased CDF would enable the implementation of more meaningful projects.

Mkandawire welcomed the recent Constitutional Court ruling that bars Members of Parliament from managing CDF funds.

However, Chairperson of the National Advocacy Platform (NAP), Benedicto Kondowe, dismisses the promises as unrealistic attempts to woo voters.

Kondowe argues that real impact will come not from increasing the fund, but from ensuring proper management and use.

“We know that they are doing this for purposes of winning elections but strictly speaking, it will require a good will which learning from the previous experience it will be a challenge because politicians once elected into the office, they can abandon their manifestos without any legal consequences,” says Kondowe.

Governance Analyst, George Chaima concurs, alleging that politicians have a track record of misusing CDF.

Chaima recommends stripping politicians of their roles in project formulation and fund disbursement.

Economist Happy Chirwa warns that significantly increasing CDF allocations could lead to higher taxes, which may discourage investment and stunt economic growth.

The Executive Director of the Centre for Social Accountability and Transparency (CSAT), Willy Kambwandira, advises that rather than increasing CDF allocations, the focus should shift to strengthening district council budgets.

Kambwandira believes increasing CDF would only waste already limited resources.

“We are not in support with a decision either to increase CDF, and we do not agree with the modalities in which the CDF funds are being managed because there is overwhelming evidence that the fund is abused by politicians,” says Kambwandira.

Efforts to engage the MCP and DPP through their Secretary Generals and Publicity Secretaries were unsuccessful, as they were not immediately available to comment on the matter.

But both MCP and DPP reiterated their commitment to increasing the CDF when unveiling their 2025 manifestos.

Yet, the Afrobarometer report released in May 2025 showed that most Malawians believe politicians benefit more from CDF than the communities it is meant to serve.

The same report found that many citizens prefer CDF to be managed by community stakeholder committees instead of MPs.

In fact, the Constitutional Court ruling of May 2025 declared it unconstitutional for MPs to have a voting role in local councils or to participate in CDF project selection and monitoring.

With the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) increasing the number of constituencies from 193 to 229 ahead of the upcoming elections, the implications of these pledges are massive.

If MCP’s proposal of K500 million per constituency is implemented, the government would need to allocate one trillion, one hundred and fourteen billion to CDF annually.

On the other hand, the DPP’s pledge of K5 billion per constituency would push the annual CDF budget to one trillion, one hundred and forty-five billion kwacha.

While political promises to raise the CDF may sound appealing, especially in a country with deep-rooted poverty, the financial and practical implications raise critical questions.

Experts argue that without robust accountability systems and depoliticized management structures, more money could simply mean more abuse, not more development.

As Malawians prepare to vote in the September 2025 general elections, it remains to be seen whether voters will be swayed by lofty promises, or demand more credible, sustainable, and transparent solutions for grassroots development.