By Jones Gadama
Minister of Local Government Ben Phiri on Wednesday set the record straight in Parliament, declaring that the Constituency Development Fund has not been slashed and remains pegged at K5 billion for the 2026/2027 financial year.
The clarification came amid growing public speculation and political chatter that government had quietly cut the CDF to K500 million. Phiri dismissed the claims as misleading and politically motivated, saying the programme is fully intact and remains one of government’s key tools for grassroots development.
Addressing a packed chamber, Phiri told lawmakers that while there have been delays in the release of funds, the money has not been cancelled or reduced.
He attributed the hold-up to administrative and financial processing bottlenecks between his ministry and the Office of the Accountant General.
“Let me be very clear. The CDF stands at K5 billion. It has not been scrapped. It has not been reduced. The delays you are seeing are being resolved,” Phiri said to a chamber that quickly erupted.
The moment the Minister confirmed the allocation, the mood in Parliament shifted.
Members of Parliament on the government side rose to their feet, clapping hands and jeering in approval. The chanting quickly filled the chamber: _“Ben! Ben! Ben! Boma ilo… boma ilo!”_
For several minutes, proceedings were paused as MPs expressed what many described as relief and renewed confidence in the fund that finances classrooms, clinics, bridges and other projects in constituencies across the country.
Phiri used the opportunity to announce additional reforms aimed at strengthening transparency and value for money.
He said government has now finalized standard designs for all CDF-funded infrastructure.
Under the new plan, teachers’ houses, police houses, classroom blocks and other public facilities will follow uniform designs to ensure consistency and accountability nationwide.
“Standardization will cut costs, improve quality, and make it easier for communities to monitor what is being built with their money,” Phiri said.
He added that new guidelines for managing the fund have already been circulated to councils and relevant authorities to speed up implementation once disbursements resume.
The Minister urged the public and political leaders to base debate on verified facts.
“Delays in implementation should not be twisted to mean cancellation. Parliament has approved K5 billion, and that K5 billion remains,” he stressed.
MPs from various constituencies welcomed the update, noting that communities have been anxious about stalled projects.
Several legislators said the clarification will restore confidence among voters who rely on CDF to address urgent local needs.
Government maintains that CDF continues to be central to its decentralization agenda. With standard designs now in place and administrative hurdles reportedly cleared, the Ministry expects fund releases to normalize in the coming weeks.
As the session adjourned, the chants of _“boma ilo”_ could still be heard in the corridors — a show of support for both the Minister and the government’s commitment to keep resources flowing to the grassroots.
