By Nellie Kapatuka

Lilongwe District Council Finance Committee Chairperson

Lilongwe, , Mana: The Lilongwe District Council on Wednesday approved a 45.3 billion kwacha budget for 2022-2023 financial year with a 50% increase from last year.

Presenting the budget during a full council meeting, the council’s finance committee chairperson, Councilor Mphatso Kaduya, said the 50% increase in the budget is because of the increased Constituency Development Fund (CDF) in the National Budget from 40 to 100 million kwacha.

Councilor Kaduya, described the budget as a response to the needs of the people of Lilongwe district.

The funds according to the chairperson, will come from locally generated revenue, Other Recurrent Transactions (ORT) and Constituency Development Fund among other sources.

“The council’s local generated revenue has remained intact with no any increase in the past year hence a suggestion from our committee that other revenue collections means be implored to maximize revenue collection in the district,” said Kaduya.

In the approved budget, apart from Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and Government for Enabled Service Deliver (GESD) which have the biggest allocations,  education, health and agriculture sectors have also received bigger chunks with allocations of MK1, 317, 939, 665.00, MK1, 112, 204, 928.00 and 100, 109, 217.00 respectively.

Reacting to the budget, Member of Parliament for Lilongwe Mpenu Nkhoma, Hon. Collins Kajawa commended the council secretariat for the guidance towards the formation of a budget which he described as visionary.

He has since asked for unity among council members for smooth implementation of the planned projects in the budget.

However, Lilongwe South East Parliamentarian Hon, Steve Baba Malondera expressed dissatisfaction in the way GESD funds have been allocated saying his constituency is not benefiting enough from the funds unlike other constituencies and has since asked that constituencies should be getting equal share of the funds.

While commending the council’s authority for being impartial, Senior Chief Kalumo said the budget will go a long way in changing lives of people in the district.

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