LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-President Peter Mutharika has withheld assenting to the passed Constitution (Amendment) Bill of 2025.
The Bill seeks to entrench the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in the Constitution by defining its objectives, governance structure and guiding principles for its management and use.
Presidential Press Secretary Cathy Maulidi has justified Mutharika decision saying aims at safeguarding financial integrity while ensuring that constituency-level development projects continue uninterrupted.
Maulidi adds, “The President has directed the Ministers of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and Finance and Economic Planning to develop clear guidelines on the management of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF)”.
She therefore disclosed that Mutharika has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensuring that the management of public funds, particularly the CDF, upholds the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.
On Monday, Human Rights Consultative Committee (HRCC) urged Mutharika to assent the bill while working on modalities to safeguard funds abuses.
While on the other side, NAP disagreed arguing that the bill needed to be reviewed before assented to.