By Linda Likomwa
Phalombe, January 21, Mana: Phalombe District Council has presented its 2025/2026 budget estimates to the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) during the budget meeting for district, municipal and city councils.
The review meeting aimed at scrutinizing and validating the budgets of councils and cities; thereby, ensuring that they align with national priorities and adhere to principles of effective resource allocation at the local government level.
Phalombe District Council was amongst the first councils that presented their projected budgets on Monday.
Speaking during the presentation, District Commissioner for Phalombe, Douglas Moffat said the council’s budget for the coming fiscal year is pegged at K11.4 billion.
Moffat said the council will among other things; strengthen agricultural productivity and that they are ready to improve health service delivery, improve nutrition status of the people in the district and continuing in producing good results in education.
“We are optimistic that we are going to recover from the effects of Tropical Cyclone Freddy which affected the district in 2023 and the dry spell phenomenon which we experienced in 2024 by increasing food production and reducing food insecurity from 30 per cent to 28 per cent,” he said.
Moffat added that with resources from Governance to Enable Service Delivery they would continue with the projects which are at 90 per cent completion stage while on efforts of improved health service delivery, the council will rehabilitate health facilities which are at 70 per cent.
Director of Finance for Phalombe District Council, Mayamiko M’baya said the district has increased its local revenue collection with the opening of pay-in services at Rev. John Chilembwe District Hospital and they also want to construct shops at Migowi Market to let them out to vendors.
NLGFC Director of Infrastructure and Economic Development, Paul Chipeta asked the council to submit their budget in time with all the amendments.
Chipeta, however, thanked the council for their commitment to prepare the budget to serve the local communities.
From the budget, K11.3 billion will be from government ORT and funds from development partners while K140 million will be revenue generated locally. -