Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr Ben Malunga Phiri, has issued an uncompromising warning to corrupt officials and contractors across Malawi's local councils, declaring that his ministry will no longer tolerate the abuse of public development funds.
Speaking in Lilongwe during an exclusive interview with this publication, shortly after a high-level meeting with contractors on the K5 billion Constituency Development Fund (CDF) set to be disbursed in April, Dr Phiri said the era of looting public money through inflated contracts, poor-quality projects, and procurement fraud is over.
The Minister revealed that his ministry has already formally engaged the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to jointly develop a strict accountability framework that will govern the use of CDF resources in all councils.
"We will not allow any corruption -- any money to be lost through misprocurement, price inflation, or poor-quality work. We have engaged the Anti-Corruption Bureau so that we produce a clear framework that reflects the aspirations of His Excellency the President. The era of corruption and price escalation is gone," Phiri said.
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He stressed that CDF projects must be completed within one year, delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.
"These are short-term projects and they must be executed with quality, efficiency, and economic value. Malawians must see real value for their money," he added.
Dr Phiri said Malawi's development challenges are not necessarily caused by lack of funding, but by leakages and theft that divert public resources away from their intended purpose.
"The President has made it very clear -- this money is not anyone's pocket money. It belongs to the people and must be used for development," he said.
The Minister confirmed that his ministry has already engaged contractors to assess their readiness, capacity, and integrity before the K5 billion is released, warning that only firms willing to operate transparently will be allowed to participate.
He called on all stakeholders -- including local councils, contractors, and community leaders -- to take responsibility in safeguarding the funds.
"The involvement of the Anti-Corruption Bureau will ensure transparency, quality, and accountability. This time, we will not compromise," Phiri said.
Meanwhile, Quantity Surveyor Victor Msowoya has welcomed the Minister's tough stance, saying the engagement with contractors is a major step toward restoring public trust.
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"Opening this dialogue improves transparency and accountability. It gives confidence that the K5 billion will actually translate into real development on the ground," Msowoya said.
