CDF turf war erupts: Council chairs vs MPs

A fresh turf war has erupted over who should preside over Constituency Development Fund (CDF) project launches, pitting the Ministry of Local Government against councils, The Nation has established.

As CDF projects roll out, members of Parliament (MPs) hand, sided by central government, have been insisting on presiding over launch events while council chairpersons argue the legislators have no business trying to be local development political champions.

Mkandawire: Ministry must respect lawful mandates. | Nation

The ongoing dispute between MPs and council chairpersons represents a deep-seated constitutional standoff.

This impasse directly stems from a landmark Constitutional Court ruling in May 2025 initiated by the Malawi Local Government Association (Malga).

The court declared that direct MP management of CDF projects violates the separation of powers. It ruled that legislators cannot execute development projects while simultaneously providing legislative oversight.

Consequently, the court stripped MPs of their voting rights at the local council level, leaving administrative and executive powers squarely with local governments.

Relying on this judicial precedent, Malga has insisted that council chairpersons, as the legal heads of local authorities, should preside over these events to reflect decentralised governance.

However, MPs, anxious to retain their localised political capital, have fiercely protested being relegated to the sidelines of projects funded within their own constituencies.

For example, Mwanza Central MP Felix Njawala (UTM) argued in an interview yesterday that it was “illogical for councillors to be presiding over launches, when the constituencies belong to MPs”.

“The MP is the head of a constituency and they are the ones to preside over the launch,” Njawala said in a written response after snubbing a launch where the council chair was guest of honour.

This intense pushback recently compelled the Ministry of Local Government to order councils to allow MPs to take centre-stage as guests of honour at the expense of council chairpersons and mayors.

In a directive dated this week, Secretary for Local Government Moses Chimphepo said: “It has come to the attention of the ministry that you are making councillors or the council chair to be the guest of honour when launching CDF projects. This is neither a council meeting nor district-wide activity. It is constituency based,” reads the directive in part.

The executive directive has failed to defuse immediate protocol friction given the aggressive counter push back by councillors.

Malga vice-president Maloto Chimkombelo, who chairs Ntchisi District Council, said chairpersons will not comply with the government directive.

“According to the new CDF Guidelines, these projects are supposed to be presided over by council chairpersons. If a commotion happens somewhere, they should not be surprised,” he said.

Malga executive director Hadrod Mkandawire said the ministry must respect lawful mandates.

“Who is the head of the council? It is the mayor and the chair. This has been the long-standing tradition and protocol. Where are MPs drawing seniority over council chairpersons on council-led business?” he queried.

Zomba City Mayor Christopher Jana accused MPs of clinging to CDF management to appear developmental, contrary to court rulings. In a letter to Chimphepo, he warned decentralisation fails if local institutions surrender lawful mandates on paper.

“Council and parliamentary roles should not be confused. Public projects should not be presented as personal property,” Jana wrote, saying the dispute is about “strengthening institutions and respecting the law.”

Private practice lawyer Benedicto Kondowe said the ministry should harmonise its directive with the CDF Guidelines through consultation.

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