Chakwera doubles CDF, many other developments on the card

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By  Kondanani Chilimunthaka

President Lazarus Chakwera who raised the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from K30 million to K100 million has surprised Malawians by unexpectedly doubling the constituency’s direct briefcase in the 2024/2025 fiscal year that starts on Monday 1st April 2024 to Monday 31st March 2025.

Presenting over K5 trillion budget statement for 2024/2025 in Parliament, Minister of Finance, Simplex Chithyola Banda said the Constituency Development Fund which falls under the Local Coucils has been considered along with others like the allocation to the District Development Fund, construction of city roads, construction of water structures under Water Resources, allocation to infrastructure development, rehabilitation of district hospitals, and a provision for service delivery.

“We have a very loving President in the name of Dr. Lazarus MacCarthy Chakwera who understands the important role that the Constituency Development Fund plays in the development of this country. This afternoon, I would like to inform the House that it has pleased this government to increase the Constituency Development Fund from K100 million to K200 million” Said the Minister amidst ululations from Members of Parliament on both sides of the House.

In his 2 hour presentation, Chithyola outlined a list of projects among those developments Chakwera administration is implementing and will continue to undertake in 2024/2025 financial year.

Chithyola told the house that the government has already started benefitting from the labour export deal and that in the week coming, Malawi Government will sign a government to government labour export agreement with Israel to ensure more labour is exported to Israel.

Chithyola who was presenting his maiden 12 months budget statement in the August House, said the country’s economy is quickly recovering, mentioning six areas as visible and significant microeconomic indicators that the economy is recovering namely: Availability of fuel across the country, Improvement of forex availability, recent stabilization of food prices, securing of Extended Credit Facility, Labour export agreement, and the coming back of donors with direct budget support, 10 year after its suspension.

“I would like to assure my fellow Malawians that the Malawian’s economy is getting back on track, recovering from economic and climate related shocks that the country experienced previously” added the Minister.

Meanwhile Members of Parliament will go into clusters before reconvening on 11th March for vote by vote scrutiny.