Amidst resounding applause from both government and opposition MPs, the Finance Minister Simplex Chithyola’s budget presentation in Parliament teetered on the brink of interruption by sheer jubilation. This uproar was sparked by the Minister’s announcement that the Chakwera-led administration had doubled the Constituency Development Fund from 100 million Kwacha annually to 200 million Kwacha annually.
“Madam Speaker, Government will continue with the implementation of development projects in the Local Authorities. The following are the key resource allocation highlights in the Local Councils: i. K38.6 billion under the Constituency Development Fund, translating to K200 million per constituency,” said Chithyola to great joy.
In reflecting on President Chakwera’s state of the nation address, the President of the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) commended Chakwera’s decision to elevate the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from 30 million Kwacha to 100 million Kwacha, labeling dissenters of the CDF increase as practitioners of sorcery. With the subsequent augmentation of the fund from 100 million to 200 million Kwacha, it is anticipated that Chakwera will undoubtedly become the favored figure among Members of Parliament.
