The Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) has renewed calls for President Peter Mutharika to assent to the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) amendment Bill.
Addressing the media in Lilongwe on Monday, HRCC Board Chairperson, Robert Mkwezalamba said the fresh call is informed on the premise that the proposed allocation of K5 billion per constituency is intended to address micro-level development gaps, respond to urgent and locally defined community priorities, and complement broader district and national development planning frameworks.
“Assenting to the Bill respects Parliament’s constitutional mandate, upholds institutional balance among arms of government, and reinforces democratic processes and legislative finality.
“While concerns regarding politicisation, accountability, and potential misuse of CDF resources are valid and historically grounded, HRCC emphasizes that these are implementation risks rather than defects of legality or constitutionality.
“Accordingly, rejecting or delaying assent penalizes communities for governance and enforcement failures, shifts responsibility away from mandated oversight institutions, and delays urgently needed local development interventions,” he said
On addressing implementation risks, Mkwezalamba said that a more effective response to the identified risks lies in strengthening implementation and oversight mechanisms, including enhanced audit requirements, strict enforcement of procurement and public finance management laws, improved reporting and transparency standards, and strengthened civil society and parliamentary oversight.
“Additionally, the Executive arm of government retains the authority to issue administrative directives to ensure which includes harmonization of CDF projects with District Development Plans (DDPs), enhanced monitoring by relevant oversight bodies, and strict adherence to public finance and accountability frameworks,” he said
He therefore called on Mutharika to assent to the CDF Amendment Bill in its current form, in recognition of Parliament’s authority and constitutional order, that such assent be accompanied by clear implementation guidance emphasising transparency, accountability, audit compliance, and alignment with local government structures and that government commits to a structured post-assent review process to assess the performance of the amended CDF framework and introduce corrective improvements where necessary.
“Assenting to the CDF Amendment Bill offers a balanced approach that respects constitutional governance, maintains institutional stability, and responds to the immediate development needs of communities. While risks exist, they are manageable through strengthened oversight and enforcement. Conversely, continued non-assent risks prolonging uncertainty, heightening institutional tension, and delaying essential service delivery to the people of Malawi,” he said
