BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Media reports in the country have uncovered a calculated plot by desperate UTM leader Dalitso Kabambe and his allies to mislead Malawians on government policy, with Lilongwe Nyanja MP and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, Steve Malondera, now at the center of the misinformation campaign.
Malondera has misled Malawians with public complaints about the Constituency Development Fund that expose a glaring ignorance of the 2026 CDF Guidelines.
Speaking on Times Exclusive, Malondera accused the Democratic Progressive Party government of deception for failing to disburse CDF quarterly and for not releasing K5 billion per constituency automatically.
He also questioned the MK100 million MADEF loan facility and claimed government-side MPs have gone silent.
What Malondera failed to disclose is that the system he is attacking was deliberately reformed months ago, and as PAC Chair he should be the first to understand it.
The 2026 CDF Guidelines, issued by the Ministry of Local Government, abolished the old practice of automatic quarterly cash releases that fueled rushed, incomplete and abandoned projects.
Under President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika’s DPP government, CDF funds are no longer dropped automatically.
Instead, money is now released project by project, only after constituencies complete project identification, technical designs, Bills of Quantities, approvals and procurement.
The new framework brings several fundamental changes that many Malawians may not be aware of.
To begin with, constituencies do not automatically receive their full allocation anymore, and this is because planning must now come before spending.
That means councils are required to fully prepare each project before government releases any money, and this includes technical designs, proper costing and procurement planning.
In addition, what many people call “delays” do not necessarily mean there is no money.
More often, they are the result of mandatory preparatory work, because councils must first complete all administrative processes before construction funds can be released.
At the same time, every project must now pass through more checks than before.
The 2026 framework introduces additional layers of scrutiny to ensure projects are technically sound, properly costed and aligned with development priorities.
Furthermore, procurement is more strict than before. Contractors and suppliers cannot simply be engaged after funds arrive.
Procurement processes must be completed in accordance with the guidelines before project financing is approved.
To support this, new administrative structures have also been created, requiring constituencies and councils to strengthen their implementation teams by filling vacant positions and recruiting personnel needed to manage the larger allocations effectively.
Crucially, accountability now starts before money is spent.
While the old system focused heavily on auditing expenditure after funds had been disbursed, the new guidelines place greater emphasis on preventing mistakes through tighter controls before payments are made. This is because bigger funding means bigger responsibility.
With each constituency now managing significantly larger CDF allocations, the reforms introduce stronger financial management systems to safeguard public resources.
Most importantly, quality is now prioritised over speed.
The 2026 Guidelines acknowledge that better planning may take longer, but the goal is to produce higher-quality infrastructure, reduce abandoned projects and ensure better value for taxpayers’ money. In short, the biggest change is the philosophy itself.
The old system was largely about disbursing money quickly, whereas the 2026 Guidelines are about ensuring every project is properly planned, procured, approved and monitored before a single kwacha is spent.
Malondera’s lament that “four months have passed without disbursement” only confirms he has not read the new framework. The delay he complains about is intentional.
The guidelines front-load planning before spending because bigger allocations now come with bigger responsibility.
There are new administrative structures, stricter procurement rules, and accountability checks built in before treasury releases funds.
The shift is clear: from spending fast to spending right, from political mileage to quality infrastructure that benefits communities.
For the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee to claim his mandate “focuses on audited reports” and not disbursements is an admission that he occupies the office in name only.
If Malondera understood the 2026 reforms, he would be orienting councils and MPs on compliance instead of confusing the public on national media.
The DPP government under Professor Mutharika has sealed the loopholes that wasted public money for years.
It is demanding proper planning and ensuring CDF delivers lasting development. Malondera’s outburst is not oversight. It is misinformation.
Malawians deserve leaders who read policy before they speak.
The real reason CDF has not been disbursed in the old way is reform, not failure.
