Mwanza Demands Reforms in CDF Utilisation
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) president Antonio Mourinho Mwanza has called for urgent reforms in the administration of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), warning that the current system is marred by mismanagement, inflated costs, and lack of accountability.
Speaking when he featured on Capital FM Radio in Lusaka today, Mwanza said local authorities have been crippled by government interference, making it difficult for councils to deliver development that directly responds to community needs.
“Most of the projects being implemented under CDF are overpriced, and in many cases they are not done according to specifications,” Mwanza told News Diggers!. “This is because planners, accountants and engineers are not being allowed to operate independently. Instead, political interference has compromised accountability and professionalism.”
The DPP leader proposed a set of reforms that he believes would restore confidence in the fund and ensure communities benefit fully.
“We propose that government must allow councils to appoint the staff they need from planners to accountants and engineers and these professionals must be given the mandate to monitor projects. This will ensure projects are delivered to proper standard and at fair cost,” he said.
Mwanza further emphasised that communities must be placed at the centre of project selection, rather than being sidelined by decisions made at ministerial level.
“What should happen is that communities themselves identify their priorities, and councils implement them transparently. Unfortunately, under the current system, it is the minister who decides what should be done. This is wrong and it must change,” he stressed.
He also called for Parliament and the Ministry of Finance to tighten oversight on CDF expenditure, warning that without stronger accountability, the fund would remain vulnerable to abuse.
“The CDF is a people’s project, not a political project. It was designed to uplift grassroots communities, but as things stand, it has become a source of corruption and inefficiency. Unless reforms are made, the fund will not achieve its intended purpose,” said Mwanza.
©️ KUMWESU | September 29, 2025