Politics blamed for CDF/LDF projects failure
The Mulanje District Council has challenged that unless Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and Local Development Fund (LDF) are purged of political interference, communities will never register maximum benefits from the equitable distribution and completion of projects under the two initiatives.
Speaking at the boma at the opening of a two-day training workshop for councillors, the council’s human resources manager, Daniel Chizizi, observed that most of the projects under CDF and LDF are failing to materialise because the country’s political systems do not encourage continuity of social and economic development.
The Pan African Civic Educators Network (Pacenet) organised the training with assistance from the Tilitonse Fund to equip the newly-elected councillors with skills to enable them better serve communities in their new roles.
The councillors took advantage of the forum to seek answers from the council on why development projects under CDF and LDF were stalling despite getting adequate funding.
Chizizi disclosed in his response that the projects are highly politicised such that Malawians will have to wait for decades to start registering the much-desired results from the Funds.
He observed that politicians are wielding ‘unjustifiable influence in the implementation of developmental projects’ under CDF and LDF by directing authorities at the councils on where projects should be initiated.
“And when change of administration occurs, new office-bearers [Members of Parliament] do not want to associate themselves with projects hatched and started by their contenders. They feel they would be labelled failures; so they try their best to come up with new although similar projects to show they’re also capable,” he explained.
Pacenet executive director, Steven Duwa, commended the councillors for showing keen interest to track development issues in their areas.
Duwa said more needs to be done in the administration of CDF and LDF projects if people are to see improvement.
“I just hope you won’t be part of these political machinations that have led to Malawians being denied of their rights to social and economic transformation,” he stressed.
