National Local Government Finance Committee/NLGFC

Government seeks stronger financial oversight ahead of CDF rollout

Government has called for stronger financial oversight and accountability among local authorities as councils prepare to implement the reformed Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which is expected to channel substantial resources towards community development projects.

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Dr. Ben Phiri made the call on Thursday in Salima during the opening of a Financial Management Symposium for Directors of Finance and Auditors from local authorities.

The symposium aims to strengthen financial accountability and encourage innovative approaches to sustainable performance and service delivery across councils.

Phiri said the reformed CDF, which will allocate K5 billion to each constituency, has heightened public expectations for development and underscored the need for sound financial management at council level.

He said finance officers and auditors have a responsibility to reflect on lessons from previous programmes and ensure that public resources are managed prudently and transparently.

“The President has allocated significant resources to councils for the first time. It is therefore important for these officers to meet and agree on best practices to ensure that Malawians receive the development projects they need,” said Phiri.

The minister stressed that effective financial oversight will be essential in ensuring that the funds deliver tangible benefits to communities and contribute to national development goals.

Chief Auditor in the Office of the Auditor General, Anne Chibvunde, said the symposium presents an opportunity for Finance Directors and internal auditors to strengthen their capacity and address recurring weaknesses highlighted in audit reports.

“I believe this symposium will help directors of finance and internal auditors enhance their capacity and reduce the recurring audit findings that we normally experience.

“We would be pleased to see fewer audit findings, particularly those that are within their control, such as unaccounted-for vouchers and missing payment records,” said Chibvunde.

She emphasised the importance of maintaining accurate financial records and adhering to established financial management procedures to improve accountability in local authorities.

Director of Financial Management Services for Lilongwe City Council, Eliamu Banda, said the meeting would allow participants to share experiences from previous projects, including the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) Project, and apply the lessons learned to the implementation of the reformed CDF.

He noted that Directors of Finance play a critical role in providing financial guidance to District Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers, helping to ensure accountability and the timely delivery of development projects.

Banda expressed optimism that the symposium would generate practical recommendations to strengthen financial management systems and improve service delivery in councils across the country.

The Financial management symposium is re orienting councils inorder to strengthen financial accountability and innovation to enhance financial performance and service of in local authorities The symposium has been funded by the World Bank By Zenak Matekenya
Malawi Government World Bank Group

CHITIPA LEARNS REVENUE MOBILISATION BEST PRACTICES FROM NKHATA BAY

Chitipa District Council on Thursday visited Nkhata Bay District Council to learn best practices in revenue mobilisation and improve service delivery.

Speaking during the knowledge sharing session in the council chamber Chitipa District Council Revenue Accountant George Nyasulu said the council had learnt valuable lessons on digitised revenue collection and taxpayer engagement.

“We have learnt a lot from Nkhata Bay, particularly on digitisation and the strong relationship they maintain with taxpayers, which makes revenue collection easier,” said Nyasulu.

Chief Accountant in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning and Development who is also Member of the Local Authority Performance Assessment (LAPA) Task Force under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) Project, Steve Chimenya, said the visit was inspired by Nkhata Bay's strong performance in revenue mobilisation.

“Chitipa identified revenue mobilisation as one of the areas where Nkhata Bay has consistently performed well through the Local Authority Performance Assessment,” said Chimenya.

He added that the exchange visit was part of the GESD Project, which enables councils to identify weaknesses and learn from best-performing local authorities.

Nkhata Bay District Council Commercial Management Officer Ambelire Ghambi described the visit as beneficial to both councils.

“This visit has helped us share experiences while also identifying areas that require improvement, including sustainability of revenue-generating assets,” said Ghambi.

Nkhata Bay exceeded its 2025/2026 revenue target of K285 million by collecting about K320 million, a performance that attracted the learning visit from Chitipa in addition to consistently doing well in overall performance for the previous years in LAPA. By Chisomo Kambandanga
Malawi Government World Bank Group

OPC, Steering Committee, hail GESD Project.

The Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) has described the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) Project as a model for project implementation success in Malawi, saying its strong delivery record and visible impact at community level is unprecedented.
Principal Secretary in the OPC, Mr. Rashid Ntelera, made the remarks in Salima at the close of a day-long GESD Project Steering Committee meeting held in the district.
“The 97% resource absorption rate for GESD is not only a success but a demonstration that Malawi is able to implement high-end projects at local level, leveraging on local competency, capacity and service,” Ntelera said.
“GESD is a complete game changer and a breath of fresh air for a well-run project with visible footprints which benefit people in the communities,” he added.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, the committee’s Chair, Reverend Moses Chimphepo, who is also Secretary for Local Government, said the project had delivered remarkable transformation across the country.
“The GESD project has provided access to health where there was none. Education opportunities to thousands of students in previously hard-to-reach areas,” Chimphepo said.
He said the scale of impact has influenced national policy. “It is for this reason that, due to the immense success of the project, government has adopted the performance-based grants as run under the GESD project for the Reformed Constituency Development Fund (CDF). This is a huge milestone of the project and we are proud and happy that Malawi is transforming and getting on board best practices to enhance service delivery in local, municipal, town and city authorities.”
According to Chimphepo, GESD has supported around 800 functional projects in most sectors including health, education, agriculture, security, transport and other key service areas.
“You will agree with me that the infrastructure by GESD is stand out and a pride to the nation that is why government has made the decision to model the CDF along the performance motif of GESD,” he said.
The Project Steering Committee, was also scheduled to review the 2025-2026 Local Authority Performance Assessment results for all councils. The assessment underpins GESD’s performance-based financing model, which channels resources to local authorities based on measurable improvements in planning, financial management, accountability and service delivery.
The GESD project is implemented by all local authorities, with support from the World Bank and other development partners.
The PSC is made up of Principal Secretaries and controlling officers from key implementing institutions, ministries and agencies such as Finance, Local Government, Agriculture, Auditor General, Accountant General, Health, Education among others
Malawi Government World Bank Group

Girls’ hostel spurs hope for Ntchisi girl learners

Ntchisi, June 17, Mana: Girls’ hostel at Katete Community Day Secondary School, which has been constructed under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) project in Ntchisi district, has been described as a milestone towards fostering girl learners’ education.

Travelling long distances from home to school has been one of the biggest challenges girl learners have been facing at school. They get to school tired and cannot concentrate in class, with resultant poor academic performance and high dropout rates, according to the school’s head teacher Robert Zepa.

Zepa, who was speaking during a media tour to appreciate the World Bank-funded project, said the hostel, which has been constructed along with a matron’s house, has also mitigated security fears among girls at the school.

“Travelling long distances to school early in the morning and back home during late hours has been subjecting our girls to security threats. The hostel will solve this problem to a significant depth, not only by clearing out long distance challenges, but also because it is well fenced by a brick wall along with the matron’s house which is in the same compound,” explained Zepa.

To avoid the challenges that came along with travelling long distances, some girls opted to operate as self-boarders. This, according to Zepa has been exposing the girl learners to sexual exploitation by opportunistic men and boys who approach them in the name of offering financial help for their self-boarding daily livelihood.

According to Mary Dyson, a member of a mother group of caretakers in one of the communities around the school, this kind of exploitation has led to high numbers of early pregnancies which have resulted in high school dropout rates. She said the hostel, along with close supervision by the matron residing in the same compound, would help to address this challenge.

Evelyn Kalilani, a form three student at the school who used to walk at least 10 kilometers to the school attests that her concentration levels in class have significantly improved now that she is boarding at the hostel.

She said: “Before relocating to the hostel, I could get home tired and start tending to house chores. I could not find time to have enough rest to concentrate on studying, and with barely enough sleep, there was low motivation to go to school the following morning. Here at the hostels I have all the time I need to rest and concentrate in class and on my after-class studies.”

Construction of the World Bank-funded K529 million hostel has been implemented by the Ntchisi district council and overseen by the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) in the area of Senior Chief Kasakula. By James Mwale
Malawi Government World Bank Group

Chikwawa school sees improved learning after GESD infrastructure boost

Teaching and learning at Nambesa Primary School in Chikwawa District have improved following the construction of a classroom block under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) Project, which has strengthened learning conditions at the flood-prone school.

For years, learners at the school were frequently sent home during the rainy season as flooding and heavy rains disrupted classes and made classrooms inaccessible, leading to significant loss of learning time.

A Standard 7 learner at the school, Nerma Frameson, said the new classroom block has improved attendance and punctuality among learners.

“This classroom block has helped us to be punctual at school every day. Absenteeism is now a thing of the past,” she said.

Frameson said in the past learning was often disrupted whenever it rained, but the situation has now changed as lessons continue even during heavy rainfall.

“In the past, learning was disrupted whenever it rained. Now, even when it is raining, we come to school and continue learning,” she added.

She, however, appealed for additional support to address challenges faced by girls during menstruation, saying the lack of proper facilities sometimes forces them to miss classes.

“We ask the government, through the project, to construct changing rooms because some girls are forced to go back home during menstruation, which sometimes affects their education,” she said.

Frameson also called for the construction of additional classroom blocks for lower primary classes to reduce congestion.

A Standard 6 teacher at the school, Joseph Mandala, commended the intervention, saying it has restored stability in teaching and learning during the rainy season.

“The new classroom block has greatly improved the learning environment at our school because lessons can now continue even during heavy rains,” said Mandala.

He, however, appealed for improved water supply, noting that the only borehole at the school produces salty water. He also called for more teachers’ houses, saying the school currently has only one staff house.

The GESD Project is supporting infrastructure development across the country to improve service delivery and access to essential public services. By Hamidah Kazembe
Malawi Government World Bank Group

New maternity facility improves maternal services delivery in Rumphi

Expectant women at Mphompha Health Centre in Traditional Authority Chivwenene in Rumphi District have said the new maternity facility has improved maternal health service delivery as they are no longer traveling long distances to Rumphi District Hospital (RDH), located over 35 kilometers away, to access the services.

One of the women, Sella Nyirenda said the facility, which became operational in December 2025, has helped pregnant women from Mphompha and surrounding areas to receive maternal care in time and saves the lives of women and children.

“I remember my sister was once referred to Rumphi District Hospital from this facility and delivered her baby on the way to the hospital. But with the maternity wing, we are assured of proper care for women including someone like me as I am expecting my first child,” said Nyirenda.

Clara Moses from Sungalonda Village in the same area, who had just delivered her baby at the facility, said being referred to Rumphi District Hospital could have cost her a lot of money and was happy to deliver closer to home.

A guardian, Edna Zimba from Ntchuka Village in Senior Chief Mwankhunikira said previously the facility could not adequately cater to some maternal services due to limited space forcing women to travel to the district hospital which was sometimes life-threatening to the expecting mother and the unborn child.

“My daughte-in-laww was once referred to the districthospital,l and it was very hard for us to meet up with the expenses. We had to do some piecework around the facility to raise money for transport.

“It was also hard for us to survive at the district hospital because we relied on piecework to earn money for basic things like firewood for cooking. But now we are closer to home, and we can easily get our needs from home,” she said.

Chawanangwa Ngwira, a nurse who has been working at the facility for over five years, said that maternal services at the facility including family planning services were all being provided in a single room, and all other services had to be interrupted whenever a pregnant woman went into labour.

“Some women were forced to deliver their babies on the floor due to limited bed space, but the new facility has adequate space for up to three deliveries at a time.

“The new facility ensures that other services such as family planning are provided at the same time without affecting other services, as there is enough space,” said Ngwira.

Director of Health and Sanitation Services (DHSS) for Rumphi District Dr. Arnold Jumbe said the facility provides a dignified place for women to give birth and is also encouraging more women to deliver at the facility with the attention of skilled health workers leading to increased trust in hospital delivery.

The facility cost K304 million and was built with funding from World Bank through Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) and serves over 12, 000 people in the area who are largely in Rumphi East Constituency. By Manasse Nyirenda

Malawi Government World Bank Group

Malawi’s MSR: A New Era in Social Protection Data Management

The Government of Malawi says the rollout of the Malawi Social Registry (MSR) Dynamism is a major step towards improving social protection delivery system in Malawi.
At the opening of a kickoff meeting on the MSR pilot rollout in Dowa and Balaka, held in Blantyre, Mr. John Funny Mwale from the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralization, said while stakeholder concerns about UBR, its predecessor, were on outdated data variables leading to limited effectiveness, this has been corrected in the MSR.
‘To address this, the Poverty Reduction and Social Protection Division conducted a thorough review of the system transitioning the MSR from a static database into a living, real-time, and dynamic system,’ Mwale said.
‘We have agreed on a two-pronged dynamic approach to keep our data fresh and reliable, and linking the MSR directly with existing functional management and information systems across key government sectors.’
Mwale said the on-demand registration offered by the MSR empowers communities to drive continuous registration and data updates.
Massimo Sichinga, speaking on behalf of the World Bank`s Social Policy and Labor Practice, applauded the Malawi government for the milestone and guaranteed the bank’s commitment to ensure the process is successfully executed.
‘These investments reflect our alignment in Malawi’s social protection vision in making the MSR a world-class tool for inclusive social protection delivery,’ Sichinga said.
‘Our support goes beyond financing. We are committed to providing technical assistance, knowledge sharing and facilitating learning from global good practices’, said Sichinga
GIZ’s Social Protection Programme team leader, Kristin Nawrath, said the MSR is a critical tool for all social protection programmes.
"Communities need to understand what the MSR is, why they must register for participation in social protection programmes in their communities as knowledge is power’, she said.
‘Information with continuous engagement and communication is non-negotiable," Said Nawrath. ‘As GIZ, we offer our support to an MSR which is more responsive and reliable registry for Malawi.’ The orientation session targets Dowa and Balaka district councils where the dynamic MSR is being launched. The process is funded by the World Bank and the GIZ
Malawi Government World Bank Group

New Staff Houses Boost Healthcare Delivery at Mtaja Health Centre

Residents of Mtaja in Machinga District have welcomed the construction of two staff houses worth K197.5 million at Mtaja Health Centre, saying the development will improve access to quality healthcare services and strengthen emergency response at the facility.

Speaking on Tuesday, Kawinga Area Development Committee (ADC) Chairperson Aumex Hussen said the additional accommodation will help improve healthcare delivery by ensuring that health workers are readily available whenever their services are needed.

"We expect the new houses to enhance service delivery because more health workers will be able to stay within the facility premises. Previously, the health centre had only four staff houses, but this development will help address accommodation challenges," said Hussen.

Public Relations Officer for Machinga District Health Office, Wongani Nyirenda, commended the district council and the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) Project for supporting the construction of the houses, describing the development as timely as the facility is being upgraded into a community hospital.

"The additional institutional houses are crucial in ensuring that health workers are accommodated within the hospital premises, where they can be readily available to provide services. Adequate housing is also a key motivation factor and makes it easier to deploy essential personnel to the facility," said Nyirenda.

He noted that inadequate accommodation had previously made it difficult to assign critical staff to the health centre, affecting the provision of healthcare services to surrounding communities.

Paramount Chief Kawinga also praised the council for implementing the project, saying it would strengthen healthcare delivery by ensuring medical personnel are available to respond to emergencies around the clock.

"When Press Trust upgraded the health centre into a community hospital, one of the major challenges was the shortage of staff houses. The construction of these two houses through the GESD Project will ensure that nurses and clinicians live close to the facility and can provide medical assistance whenever needed," said Kawinga.

However, the chief appealed for the construction of additional staff houses, noting that some health workers still travel long distances to report for duty.

The K197.5 million project is expected to improve staff retention, enhance service delivery and support the ongoing transformation of Mtaja Health Centre into a fully-fledged community hospital. By Leonard Masauli
Malawi Government World Bank Group

New boys’ hostel boosts enrolment at Mzenga Secondary School

Head teacher for Mzenga Secondary School in NkhataBay, Francis Phiri, says the construction of a new boys’ hostel under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) programme has significantly improved boys’ enrolment and increased the number of students selected to university.

Speaking in an interview Thursday, Phiri said the hostel has transformed the learning environment by accommodating students who previously stayed off campus and travelled long distances to attend classes.

According to Phiri, the number of boys enrolled at the school increased from 76 in 2025 to 121 in 2026 following the construction of the hostel.

“This hostel is helping us a lot because initially we had fewer boys than girls, but since it was constructed, the enrolment of boys has increased significantly. It accommodates 56 students who previously stayed off campus and walked long distances to school,” he said.

The head teacher said the improved boarding facilities have also contributed to better academic performance. He explained that in 2025, only three boys from the school were selected to university, while in 2026 the number rose to seven boys. He added that three girls were also selected to university in 2026.

“The increase in university selection and enrolment is partly attributed to the hostel because students now have a conducive environment for studying and are able to spend more time concentrating on their education,” said Phiri, while commending the government for the intervention.

Nkhata Bay District Commissioner, David Kayiwonanga Gondwe, said the GESD programme has greatly improved service delivery in the education sector through the construction of infrastructure that is enhancing access to quality education.

“The impact of GESD is evident through projects such as this hostel, which are helping to improve learning conditions and educational outcomes. We are pleased to see increased enrolment and improved university selection figures at the school,” said Gondwe.

He urged the boys benefiting from the facility to take good care of it so that future generations can also benefit.

“This hostel belongs not only to the current students but also to those who will come after you. Take care of it and use it responsibly so that it continues to serve many learners in the years ahead,” he said.

A Form Four student, Vitumbiko Hara, said the new facility has created a safer and more conducive environment for learning and expressed hope that more students will continue performing well in national examinations.

Mzenga Secondary School boys’ hostel which is located in the area of Traditional Authority Kabunduli in Nkhata Bay was constructed at the tune of K262 million with financial support from World Bank. By Chisomo Kambandanga

Malawi Government