Malawi's parliament approves constitutional amendment on constituency development fund

In a move that has sent shockwaves through Malawi’s governance landscape, Parliament has approved Bill No. 2 of 2025, a Constitutional Amendment that enshrines the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) into the country’s supreme law—without any alterations. [ . . . ] The amendment, introduced as a Private Member’s Bill by Mzimba South legislator Emmanuel Chambulanyina Jere (MCP), inserts the CDF into the Constitution, outlining its purpose, management framework, and guiding principles. Most controversially, it places the fund under the governance of Members of Parliament “as prescribed by an Act of Parliament.” [ . . . ] Critics have warned that embedding the CDF in the Constitution under MP oversight risks entrenching patronage politics, weakening local accountability, and diverting development resources away from communities. For years, the CDF has been plagued by allegations of mismanagement, opaque allocations, and political interference.
Read the full article here: Nyasa Times