BY Vincent Gunde
President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has sent a strong message to Members of Parliament (MPs) that he is not the same Mutharika of 2014 to 2020 who made Malawians to lose trust in his leadership leading to his ousting from government on the 23rd June, 2020 court sanctioned presidential elections.
Mutharika has now proved to Malawians that the Democratic Progressive Party’s(DPP) six years stay in the opposition benches were enough not to repeat the very same mistakes that this time he has taken the path of walking with Malawians that voted for him on the 16th September, 2025 elections.
He has cancelled celebrations and ululations that was made by Members of Parliament (MPs) both from government and opposition when they all stood up celebrating the passing of the Constituency Development Fund (Amendment) Bill waiting for President Mutharika to assent it into law.
President Professor Mutharika has withheld consent to the passed Constituency Development Fund (CDF) proving to Members of Parliament (MPs) that he is seriously listening to the voices of Malawians at large not only a cross section of people.
In the press statement signed by Presidential Secretary Cathy Maulidi dated 6th January, 2026 President Professor Mutharika has directed the ministers of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and Finance and Economic Planning to draft guidelines for the management of the CDF.
“This is to ensure that development projects at the constituency level continue to progress without compromising financial integrity,” reads the State House Press statement in part.
In the statement, President Professor Mutharika has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensuring that the management of public funds particularly the CDF is meeting the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.
A Malawi Congress Party (MCP)diehard of Mvera in Dowa district Mr. Rodgers Kamphangala, has praised President Professor Mutharika for siding with the people that Members of Parliament (MPs) should not ne part and parcel of the CDF as the High Court of Malawi directed.
Kamphangala said Mutharika has demonstrated the leadership which all Malawians have been waiting for after undergoing leadership crisis for six years of President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera which proved that the country was being driven by an inexperienced driver who knows and did nothing in government.
“Malawians spoke with a loud voice “no” to Members of Parliament be part and parcel of the CDF, President Professor Mutharika has finally hammered his last nail on it walking side by side with his people,” he said.
He has advised Justice Minister Charles Mhango and Finance Minister Dr. Joseph Mwanamvekha that President Professor Mutharika has done the much needed work siding with the people by rejecting CDF (Amendment) Bill saying it is up to them to walk with the president or siding with MPs.
Kamphangala has assured the two Ministers that all Malawian eyes will be on them as they will be drafting guidelines for the management of the CDF advising them to consult Malawians themselves on the guidelines.
