Sabotaging Development Through Low CDF Utilisation: The Case of Chawama Constituency
By Dr. Martin Mushumba
A recent report by Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) has exposed a troubling reality: Chawama Constituency ranks among the lowest in utilizing Constituency Development Funds (CDF), with a dismal uptake of just 20-30%. For a community grappling with a 74% poverty rate and urgent developmental needs, this failure to harness critical resources is nothing short of a betrayal.
As a proud resident of Chawama, I carry this constituency in my heart. Its struggles are my struggles, and its stagnation under poor leadership keeps me awake at night. How can we accept such apathy when our children are denied educational bursaries, our youth lack skills training, our people drink water from shallow wells, our community has no drainages, and our families remain trapped in cycles of poverty? The answer is clear: we cannot.
The root of this crisis lies in the absentee leadership of the area Member of Parliament (MP) Tasila Lungu Mwansa. Suffice it to state that the Council cannot approve community projects in the absence of the area MP.
While our community cries out for action, Tasila Lungu has repeatedly prioritized personal interests over public duty—including an extended, year-long maternity absence during her term, leaving Chawama’s needs unattended. During her absence, desperate parents flooded our offices with pleas: Why are CDF-funded skills programs stalled? Why are our children denied bursaries for boarding schools? Her silence echoed loudly.
This is more than negligence—it is sabotage. By willfully neglecting her mandate, Tasila Lungu has stifled progress, weaponizing CDF underutilization to spite political opponents at the expense of suffering families. To Tasila Lungu, utilising the expanded CDF threatens her father, former Presdent Edgar Chagwa Lungu’s return to politics. To her, the low utilisation of CDF brightens things for her father to convince the masses of the failures of the New Dawn Government.
Chawama, situated in the heart of Lusaka, should be a beacon of CDF’s transformative potential. Instead, it stands as a symbol of wasted opportunity. Tasila Lungu has made sure that there is nothing to show for CDF in Chawama.
2026 is our turning point. We must liberate Chawama from the grip of complacency and elect a leader who embodies accountability, presence, and vision. Imagine a constituency where CDF revitalizes schools, empowers entrepreneurs, upgrades clinics, and fuels youth employment. This is not a distant dream—it is achievable with leadership that prioritizes people over politics.
Tasila Lungu’s tenure has proven her a threat to both Chawama’s progress and Zambia’s national development. The time for change is now. As Chawama residents, let us unite to vote out indifference and vote in a leader who will fight tirelessly to:
– Maximize CDF absorption to fund community-driven projects.
– Restore transparency in resource allocation.
– Deliver education, healthcare, and economic opportunities to every doorstep.
Chawama deserves more than empty promises. It deserves a future. Together, let’s demand better—and build it.
As 2026 dawns, the hour to act is here. Vote for progress. Vote for Chawama. Remove selfish leaders.
The author is a Public Policy Analyst