The government of Malawi has set new guidelines that specify roles and responsibilities regarding the implementation arrangements for the reformed Constituency Development Fund (CDF). This comes after the government's decision to decentralize the management of the CDF to local councils from parliamentarians. The new guidelines provide CSOs and community members with oversight functions in how the fund is managed.

Government of Malawi sets new guidelines to govern implementation of the reformed Constituency Development Fund

Enact legal framework to safeguard implementation of CDF and provide guidance and institutional framework for operationalisation of expanded CDF

The government of Malawi has increased the salaries of Civil Servants effective 1 April 2026. This follows negotiations between the Government Negotiating Team and the Civil Servants Trade Union in conjunction with Teachers Union of Malawi. The average rate of increment is 18% (with lower grades getting 20% increase and highest grades getting 10% increase).

Malawi Civil Servants get a salary increase

Improve remuneration of all civil servants by aligning salaries to cost of living, following recent waves of devaluation and increased inflation

The Malawi parliament has approved the MK10.978 trillion budget which includes the MK1.145 trillion allocated for the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) which translates to MK5 billion per constituency. This is an increase from the previous allocation of MK200 million in the previous year

Government of Malawi increases Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation to MK5 billion per constituency

Increase funding to local councils with each constituency getting at least K5 billion per financial year

The government of Malawi has reformed the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to include what were previously stand-alone funds such as the District Development Fund, Water Resources Fund, Infrastructure Development Fund and Hospital Rehabilitation Fund. All development initiatives that were previously under these funds will be housed under the Reformed Constituency Development Fund in a bid to give local authorities more control and enhance efficiency in local development

Reformed Constituency Development Fund for consolidated local development initiatives.

Reform the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) as a vehicle of community transformation by depoliticising it and taking resources closer to the people

The Ministry of Health in Malawi has fired 5 health workers following investigations over their alleged misconduct which included receiving bribes and reporting for work under the influence of alcohol

Ministry of Health fires 5 health workers over misconduct

Strengthen legal compliance and accountability across government operations

The Government of Malawi has established a toll-free line through which citizens can report cases of corruption, suspected mismanagement of public service, or poor service delivery at any level of government.&nbsp;

The Government of Malawi introduces a toll-free line to enhance transparency and citizen feedback

Establish robust accountability mechanisms, such as audits, citizen feedback systems, and independent oversight bodies,  to ensure that local governments are responsive to their constituencies

The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has launched a land ownership audit in order to regularise land ownership and address land disputes as well as curb corruption&nbsp;

Malawi Minister of Lands launches land ownership audit exercise

Digitalize and streamline land registration processes to eliminate corruption and reduce disputes.

Government of Malawi announced strict austerity measures on 6 November,2025 to reduce fiscal expenditure. Among the measures is a complete moratorium on the purchase of new government vehicles and high-value assets

Government freezes purchase of new official vehicles to curb government spending

Freeze the purchase of new vehicles for public officials

The government of Malawi through the chief secretary to the president has directed government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to dispose all non-functional and obsolete office equipment as a way of cutting down on maintenance costs

Malawi government ministries and departments asked to dispose non-functional vehicles

Review civil service structure and composition so as to reduce unnecessary expenditure while improving efficiency

On October 10, 2025, the President of Malawi ordered the headquarters of Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and the Malawi Housing&nbsp; corporation (MHC) to return to Blantyre while the Malawi Prison Service headquarters must revert to Zomba

Executive order reverts MACRA, MHC and others to Blantyre

Reverse the decisions to relocate Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority, Malawi Housing Corporation, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, Prison Services, National Statistical Office, etc to Lilongwe

Put the right and qualified people in the right positions in order to promote efficiency and effectiveness in public service delivery

Promote all deserving career civil servants whose opportunities for career advancement have been thwarted by external forces

Promote efficiency and effectiveness within the public service through defined performance and defined appraisals

Recruit all trained teachers and medical personnel who have completed their professional accreditation process but are subjected to unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks

Cater for specialised training for civil servants at Malawi School of Government and Mpemba Staff training colleges

Provide government scholarships to deserving Civil Servants to upgrade and enhance public service delivery

Promote positivity by encouraging idea development and research

Stimulate the spirit of Hard work and self reliance by awarding well deserving citizens

Instil the value of money in the traditional economy of wealth and social development

Advance religious values by working with religious leaders in serving our people

Establish a National Spatial Data Centre

Reform existing serive delivery processes and ensure that at least 70% of government services will be available online and AI-optimized for efficiency and transparency

Ensure that every Malawian will have access to a digital ID, which will be fully interoperable with social services, health records, education, mobile money, and agriculture systems

Provide access to affordable broadband to over 80% of the population. Malawi will be a digitally empowered nation, with over 2,500 Public Wi-Fi access zones including markets, schools, hospitals, and bus depots

Support establishment of Legal Aid Offices in every district council to enhance access to justice

Enhance criminal justice reforms, including rehabilitation of inmates, parole system and non-custodial sentencing

Implement recommendation in the protection of people living with albinism policy

Ensure that disadvantaged persons have same access to justice

Promote a Mindset that values women’s participation in decision-making and leadership positions

Establish and capitalise Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative and entrepreneurship development at constituency level to a tune of MK 100 Million

Review, strengthen, harmonise and enforce Gender-Related Laws including the establishment of the Women Economic Empowerment Fund to accelerate the implementation of the 40:60 quota representation as provided in the Gender Equality Act of 2013

Increase the participation of Women in Politics, cabinet positions and decision-making ranks in alignment with the 50-50 campaign and international agreements on gender equality

Review the Local Government Act of 1998 to recognise and accommodate the fast urbanisation

Spread the presence of Government Administration Offices and Statutory Corporations amongst its major Cities of Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Blantyre and Zomba

Establish Youth Advisory Councils at district levels to provide input on local development plans

Amend the Local Government Act to mandate at least two youth representatives (one male, one female) in every District  and Ward Development Committee

Ensure inclusivity through involvement of marginalized groups in decision-making processes and ensuring that services reach all sectors of the population

Transfer powers, responsibilities, and resources from the central government to district authorities

Prioritise and enforce Decentralisation as a major driver for attaining development, reducing poverty and supporting job creation through citizen engagement and participation at the local level

Rationalise the public service, including foreign missions.

The Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), as well as the Financial Crimes Division of the High Court shall be sufficiently funded to ensure that they discharge their statutory mandates to the satisfaction of the public

Restore the integrity of governance systems and institutions by ensuring merit based appointment of governance leaders free from political interference

Capacitate the Office of the Auditor General to facilitate timely audits and release of audit reports

Roll out real-time government dashboards to facilitate open governance, budget transparency, and citizen feedback

Enhance transparency and accountability in state-owned enterprises

Promote a culture of transparency and accountability, especially amongst Controlling Officers

Develop and review clear, transparent, and enforceable laws and regulations that define the roles and responsibilities of all levels of government

Inculcate the spirit of Patriotism and Integrity at all levels of governance

Promote visionary and transformational leadership that does not accommodate mediocrity and the commercialisation of politics

Drastically reduce the budget for State Residences

Revise the allocation formula for resources to councils favouring more investments and less consumption

Renovate and construct new government offices to provide a conducive working environment and cut on government recurrent expenditures

Promote efficiency and cost saving measures by appointing a lean cabinet

Government will develop a proper and professional career path for diplomatic staff, with tailored trainings that will enhance the skills and aptitude of the personnel in the Malawi diplomatic service to ensure a vibrant and professional diplomatic service

Government will also review and rationalize Malawi’s foreign missions abroad, the numbers and quality of diplomatic staff in each mission, closing those that are unprofitable to Malawi and opening new ones that can benefit the country

Enhance regional and international police and law enforcement cooperation

Strengthen Malawi’s progressive participation in regional and international economic integration initiatives and uphold the treaties to which Malawi appended its signature

Continue to adhere to the Treaty establishing the African Union (AU) and/or the continental economic cooperation and initiatives

Promote structured Government to Government labour exports in sectors of interest between Malawi and foreign Governments

Build and maintain alliances and partnerships with likeminded countries to advance shared interests and objectives

Ensure that only Malawian citizens, and not foreigners, access passport services

Government will engage into meaningful people-centered international relations that translate into Malawi’s ability to export and meaningfully participate on the international market

The government will equip the National Intelligence Service (NIS) to provide vital and relevant information to the security institutions, making it a national asset that is non-partisan while maintaining the essential component of secrecy

Support the cities of Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Mangochi, Blantyre and Zomba to have their own police services to meet specific security and safety needs

Establish and capacitate specialized units within the Police Service for city policing

Substantively finance the capacity and operations of the Independent Complaints Commission (ICC) of Police to process and solve public complaints against police officers, with the aim of promoting accountability, professionalism, discipline, respect for the rule of law and human rights in policing

Enhance an approach to policing in which police officers, citizens and community groups work together in an accepted partnership

Ensure that the police reforms are implemented substantively for the Malawi Police Service (MPS) to possess modern equipment and policing techniques.

Support the MDF’s participation in external deployments such as under the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in DRC (MONUSCO) Force Intervention Brigade (FIB),Southern Africa Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) and military observer missions, and staff officers in various countries

Commercialize specific services and departments of the MDF to enable its substantive contribution to the economic development of the country.

Support MDF to effectively assist the Malawi Police Service where necessary in ensuring peace and fight crimes as guided by the Constitution.

Support MDF in local deployments such as in border patrol and management in Nsanje, Mulanje, Blantyre, Lilongwe,Mchinji, Likoma, Chitipa and Karonga, among others.

Improve the morale in the army by providing adequate training, uniforms, better equipment and support facilities, improved service conditions and improved welfare of the men and women in uniform

Create a Special Forces Unit and capacitate the MDF in human, technical and technological capabilities to effectively respond to emergencies and disasters

Improve the capacity and professional competence Malawi Defense Force (MDF’s) Centres of excellence – National Defence College, the MDF Command and Staff College (MDFCSC) and the Malawi Armed Forces College (MAFCO) - to enable it respond adequately and urgently to the needs of our nation

Promote and protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law

Increase access to legal services to poor Malawians by recruiting more government lawyers and increase funding at the Legal Aid Bureau

Operationalise the Judicial Service and Administration Act and judicial reforms, by among others the establish and properly fund the Judicial Service Commission and Independent Complaints Commission

Carry out relevant reforms in the public service to improve performance in all government ministries, departments and agencies

Have strict oversight and supervision of the actions and activities of all institutions, departments and agencies falling under the Executive in order to enforce adherence to the rule of law

Support the work and activities of the Malawi Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman by making sure they make sufficient provisions within the national budget to ensure that their activities are not suffocated by underfunding

Pass relevant legislation that frees the Director of Public Prosecutions from political interference and to make that office accountable to the people of Malawi

Ensure that the Director of Public Prosecutions discharges his functions evenly without fear or favour

Restoring the independence of the Police in discharging its functions so that it wins the confidence of all persons in Malawi by serving the interests of all Malawians and not those of any grouping, be it political, tribal or other

Government shall pass legislation clearly articulating the parameters of that office and create deputy Attorneys General

Government will initiate a discussion involving the three arms of government on how to reform the functions and duties of the Office of Attorney General

Invest in the training and capacity building of Councillors to monitor and manage local development projects

Review and rationalize the functions of parastatals and other State-Owned Enterprises

Continue to build modern offices for all urban and rural councils

Reform the city councils with the aim of enhancing autonomy, revenue collection and improved delivery of services

Introduce Infrastructure Services Unit and Performance Improvement Support Unit in the Ministry responsible for Local Government, for effective project design, supervision, monitoring and evaluation

Strengthen communication and coordination between central and local governments, as well as between different local agencies, to avoid fragmentation and duplication of efforts

Ensure local governments have access to adequate and predictable revenue streams, including local taxes, grants, and allocations from the national government

Invest in capacity-building, and institutional strengthening at the local level to enhance governance and service delivery

Expand the scope of the CDF to cover areas such as construction of Early Childhood Centres, Schools, Health centres, road grading, irrigation schemes, police units, markets, water and sanitation facilities, skills development centres, and provision of bursaries and vocational training

Review and update outdated land policies to align with modern economic and social realities

Establish special land courts to handle land disputes efficiently

Implement a fair land taxation system to prevent land speculation and encourage productive use

Facilitate proper town management and planning

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Promise History

Government of Malawi sets new guidelines to govern implementation of the reformed Constituency Development Fund