The Canadian government has partnered with MISA Malawi — the Malawi chapter of the Media Institute for Southern Africa — to empower community radio stations and enhance accountability for local projects.

The initiative, “Investigative journalism and Social Accountability,” stems from a CA$69,744 (approx. US$50,120) agreement to foster active citizen and community media participation in local project implementation.

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives is funding the project in which MISA Malawi trains 90 Malawian journalists from various community radio stations in investigative journalism to help them monitor local development funds, including the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

The Malawi Parliament approved the establishment of the CDF during the 2006–2007 Budget Meeting of Parliament after the government proposed the fund to ensure an even distribution of rural development.

However, audit reports suggest the fund has been prone to mismanagement due to a lack of transparency and accountability from responsible officers.

For example, in 2020, the Public Accounts Committee of the Malawi Parliament summoned three district councils over the misuse of the CDF after a special audit report revealed the mismanagement of funds in the Dowa, Nsanje and Karonga districts between 2014 and 2016, citing ineligible expenditures and failure to deliver project materials or delivering materials with defects.

According to the agreement, the project sees MISA Malawi working with community radio stations to promote access to information at the district level.

“This project seeks to ensure that ordinary Malawians participate in the design and implementation of local development projects and have access to relevant information on development plans and projects earmarked for their communities, enabling effective oversight of all community-level government and donor investments,” reads part of the agreement.

“Community broadcasters are directly and easily accessible platforms for people at the grassroots level, allowing them to voice their views on various issues concerning them.”