TIP OF THE ICEBERG: AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT ON CDF ABUSE AND WASTAGE 

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TIP OF THE ICEBERG: AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT ON CDF ABUSE AND WASTAGE 

The 2023 Auditor General’s report on the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has exposed extensive irregularities at the Lusaka City Council (LCC).



According to the report, the LCC disbursed K5.3 million to 373 beneficiaries, whose identities remain unknown. It was further discovered that these recipients could not be traced, and no business operations associated with them could be located. The audit also revealed that the LCC disbursed K336,000 in soft loans to individuals that were not on the approved list of beneficiaries.



We are not shocked with these evident irregularities in the disbursement and management of CDF. In fact, we have been consistent that the CDF policy or the increase in CDF allocations, Mr Hakainde Hichilema  and his league have been beating their chest about, will not solve this country’s pressing problems due to political patronage, corruption and inefficiency involved in this process. It is undisputable that there has been too much inducement, connivance, bribery, corruption and embezzlement in the utilization of CDF, and we are glad that the 2023 Auditor General’s report has vindicated us.


It was clear from the onset that Mr Hichilema and the UPND government’s CDF policy was merely for political patronage and stealing, and not to solve the numerous problems Zambians are facing today. We saw this early enough and cautioned Mr Hichilema and his league that this policy was not only a disaster for the country, but was bound to fail because constituencies across the country had no capacity to administer these huge resources.


On face value, CDF appears nice when cash is being thrown around carelessly but the truth is, it’s not taking us anywhere. It is merely a breeding ground for corruption, for all sorts of UPND crooks of different shapes and sizes. For instance, how can one explain the disbursement of K5.3 million to 373 beneficiaries whose identities remain unknown? How can the local authority disburse such huge amounts of cash to untraceable recipients, with no traceable business operations associated with them? just how can such huge sums of money be disbursed to individuals that were not on the list of beneficiaries?


The answer is simple: this was expected because the entire CDF policy is anchored on systematic corruption, embezzlement, inducement, bribery, connivance, and political patronage. The misapplication and thoughtless throwing of cash to UPND cadres under the guise of CDF allocations, is deliberate. It’s all planned! They have agreed to be recklessly dishing out taxpayer’s money amongst themselves whilst pretending to be lifting people’s burdens or fostering development, yet the principle objective is looting. 



We insist that the CDF policy is a disaster and it will not have any meaningful impact on our already overburdened citizens. Whether they increase the CDF allocations a hundredfold, nothing will change. The statistics will keep showing that poverty is increasing exponentially countrywide.


CDF is a scam, and a conduit for corruption or simply put, CDF is a reward system designed by thieves, to recognize and motivate their fellow thieves. But this will backfire, and if they are not careful, many will go to prison over CDF once the UPND is out of office!   

Fred M’membe
President of the Socialist Party

4 COMMENTS

  1. Mr Mmembe any system however watertight it can be, can be compromised. The issue is to what extent and the possibility of catching those involved in that malfeasance. The starting point should be to single out those constituencies and deal with them since this is public knowledge now. But to say CDF is not serving any purpose is wrong and gross. Let’s not throw the baby with bath water twakomba.

    • Very correct, CDF is good.
      But we know that we’re corrupt so CDF must have come with stiffened anti corruption laws. Anyone who steals from the poor is an enemy of poverty reduction and must be dealt with ruthlessly
      The President has no choice but to come up with very strong anti corruption regulations and laws
      If not let him go and learn from President Traore how he’s eradicating poverty from his country’s own resources
      Vote wisely vote for HH7 in 2026/31

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