By Jones Gadama
Minister of Lands, Chimwemwe Chipungu, has commended the newly launched Constituency Development Fund Dashboard, describing it as a landmark step in giving Malawians direct oversight over development projects in their communities.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, Chipungu praised Local Government and Rural Development Minister Dr. Ben Malunga Phiri and his team for the launch held at BICC, saying the platform will end years of secrecy surrounding CDF spending.
He noted that the initiative is fully in line with President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika’s vision and the DPP-led government’s commitment to transparency and service delivery.
“On Friday we had a very good event at BICC whereby Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Hon. Dr. Ben Malunga Phiri launched the CDF Dashboard,” Chipungu told the House, adding,
“I believe for all that means well, that was a presentation graciously presented by the Minister and his entire team and deserve a round of applause.
It does take power off from the central government to the people so I thought as a citizen of good standing this should not go unnoticed.”Chipungu concluded .
The Speaker agreed with Chipungu and asked the House to give a round of applause to Dr. Phiri.
Chipungu said the digital dashboard is a “game-changer” because it allows citizens to track every CDF project, monitor progress, and scrutinize how funds are used in real time.
He noted the tool directly addresses long-standing concerns about ghost projects, inflated budgets and opaque procurement at constituency level.
According to Chipungu, the platform shifts accountability from the central government to communities, ensuring that MPs, councils and contractors know their work is being watched “not just by auditors, but by the people they serve.”
He added that the dashboard is expected to become a central resource for civil society, journalists and community monitors as the DPP-led government works to restore trust in the management of development funds.
The Minister described the launch as one of the most significant transparency reforms in local governance, and called for national support to ensure communities use the tool effectively.
