CDF money vanishes in Nkhata Bay

Nkhata Bay District members of Parliament (MPs) and councillors have called on Nkhata Bay district council secretariat to refund over K14 million ($25454) to the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) it allegedly misappropriated, before the rains start or risk legal action.

Constituents have started quizzing MPs, saying they have failed people on projects and some have accused the MPs of embezzling money after noting that projects were stalling. Pressure from the people forced the MPs to force the secretariat to justify why they were not being given CDF when people were expecting projects.

Nkhata Bay Central MP Ralph Mhone on Sunday confirmed that about K14 million ($25454) in CDF was allegedly misappropriated and the MPs are pressing the council to refund the money. He said the council claims to have used the money on another project without consulting MPs who authorise use of funds.

“We are simply asking them to refund the money. They said they will refund the money, but we do not know when they will do so,”said Mhone.

Nkhata Bay district commissioner (DC) Alex Mdooko said CDF money goes into the council’s pool account which is prone to over-expenditure. He said the council used the money for other pressing issues because they did not receive any funding in May (2015).

He, however said the council is already repaying the money through payments it is making on projects in constituencies.