By Twink Jones Gadama
A crippling funding crisis has struck Malawi’s 28 district councils, bringing essential services in health, education, and agriculture to a grinding halt.
The crisis, which began in November 2024, has seen the government fail to disburse critical funds, leaving local councils scrambling to cope.
According to Hadrod Mkandawire, Executive Director of the Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA), the government’s failure to release funds has had a devastating impact on local councils. “The situation is dire,” Mkandawire said. “We’re talking about 624 million kwacha for medical drugs, 14.4 billion kwacha for the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), and 1.3 billion kwacha for the school improvement program. These funds are critical to delivering essential services to our people.”
The funding crisis has raised questions about the government’s commitment to decentralization, a policy aimed at empowering local councils to manage their own affairs.
Social commentator Victor Chipofya expressed disappointment that the central government still controls funding for local councils, despite the country’s adoption of decentralization.
“It’s unfortunate that we’re still seeing a top-down approach to governance,” Chipofya said. “Decentralization is about giving power to the people, but if the central government is still controlling the purse strings, then we’re not truly decentralized.”
The funding crisis has already begun to bite, with reports of hospitals running out of essential medical supplies and schools struggling to provide basic amenities. Farmers, too, are feeling the pinch, as the lack of funding for agricultural programs threatens to undermine the country’s food security.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, there are growing calls for the government to take immediate action to address the funding crisis.
Mkandawire urged the government to release the funds as a matter of urgency, warning that further delays would only exacerbate the situation.
“The government needs to take responsibility for this crisis,” Mkandawire said. “We can’t continue to operate without funding. It’s time for the government to step up and provide the necessary resources to support our local councils.”
As Malawians wait with bated breath for a resolution to the funding crisis, one thing is clear: the government’s failure to support local councils has far-reaching consequences for the country’s development.
It’s time for the government to take decisive action to address the crisis and ensure that local councils receive the funding they need to deliver essential services to the people.
