Chipata council acquires modern dental chair using CDF funds

Chipata council acquires modern dental chair using CDF funds

President Hakainde Hichilema has pledged to increase the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) beyond its current allocation of K40 million per constituency, should he secure a second term in office.

Addressing Parliament of Zambia on Friday during a statement on the application of national values and principles, Mr Hichilema said his government remained committed to empowering communities through decentralised development financing.

He told lawmakers that the annual CDF allocation had risen sharply from K1.6 million per constituency in 2021 to K40 million in 2026, describing the increase as a cornerstone of the United Party for National Development (UPND) administration’s approach to inclusive growth.

“Let me repeat: from K1.6 million to K40 million in less than five years,” the President said. “And we are going to increase this again next year if, through God’s will, the people of Zambia give us another mandate.”

Mr Hichilema said the expansion of the CDF since 2021 reflected the government’s broader commitment to human dignity, equity, social justice, equality and non-discrimination, which he described as central to national development.

He said community-driven investment had been scaled up alongside social protection measures, with a focus on empowering young people and women, and improving access to education, healthcare, water and justice.

“Through the CDF, we have empowered the youth, women and the vulnerable in our communities,” he said, citing bursaries for learners in secondary boarding schools and support for skills development programmes.

Describing the reforms as “a giant step in the right direction”, the President said his administration would continue working until “every Zambian family feels the benefit of this generational change”.

He pointed to improvements in healthcare delivery, including the provision of ambulances and the construction of maternity facilities with improved sanitation, particularly in rural areas. He also highlighted investments in education infrastructure, saying more pupils were now learning in classrooms equipped with desks rather than sitting on the floor.

Mr Hichilema said increased CDF resources had enabled the recruitment of more teachers and health workers in both urban and rural areas, while also supporting access to clean drinking water, modern market facilities for traders, and veterinary services for small-scale livestock farmers.

He added that community safety had improved through the construction of police posts and the provision of vehicles, and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to “delivering for each and every Zambian citizen from a place of love and deep care”.

The President also announced an expansion of social protection programmes, saying the monthly social cash transfer for vulnerable households had been doubled from K200 to K400. For households with a member living with a disability, the transfer had increased from K400 to K600.

He said the number of households benefiting from social cash transfers had risen from 1.3 million to 1.5 million this year, while beneficiaries under the Food Security Pack had increased from 240,000 to 320,000 vulnerable but viable farmers nationwide.

About the Author

Admin

Administrator

Visit Website View All Posts