The Lazarus Chakwera administration has increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to K40 million.
Minister of Finance Felix Mlusu announced the rise when presenting the 2020/21 national budget at Parliament Building in Lilongwe on Friday.
Before the increase, the Constituency Development Fund was at K30 million.
The money is provided to each of the country’s 193 constituencies every year for development projects. In the past, however, there have been reports of Members of Parliament abusing the funds.
A report in 2017 showed that some legislators were sourcing quotations on their own, thereby taking the role of district council procurement committees.
The legislators also snubbed area development committees in their constituencies when implementing the projects while in some constituencies, legislators sourced construction materials from their relatives.
During the presentation of the budget, Finance Minister Mlusu warned the legislators against misusing the funds.
“In line with the Government agenda of increased transparency and accountability, I urge all Honourable Members of this August House to exercise prudent financial management in the execution of CDF projects,” he said.
In the 2020/21 national budget, the government has also allocated K400 million to Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare for the implementation of the Action Plan for the protection of people with albinism. A further K100 million has been allocated to the Disability Fund.
Mlusu said this is part of the Government’s commitment to empower persons with disabilities and albinism.
