Commonwealth Local Government Forum

Malawi

Key facts:

POPULATION (2020 estimate): 19,129,000
AREA (UN 2006): 118,484 sq km
CAPITAL: Lilongwe
CURRENCY: kwacha (MWK)
HEAD OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT: President Peter Mutharika
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: republic
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM: unicameral
STATE STRUCTURE: unitary
LANGUAGES: English and Chichewa (official)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS:
Presidential:
last: 2019, turnout: 74.4%; next: 2024
Parliamentary:
last: 2019, turnout: 74.4%; next: 2024
WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT (2019) 23.3%
LOCAL ELECTIONS: last: May 2019, turnout: 74.2%; next: 2024
WOMEN COUNCILLORS (2014): 14.5%
LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE as a percentage of total government expenditure 2013/14: 3.1%

Summary

Malawi is a democratic republic with two spheres of government: national and local. Local government is enshrined in Chapter XIV of the constitution and responsibility for its administration rests with the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development. The local government system has 35 single-tier authorities: 28 district councils, four city councils, two municipal councils and one town council. Following the 2014 local election 12.1% of councillors were women and in 2013/14 local government expenditure was 3.1% of total government expenditure. The councils are responsible for raising and collecting local taxes and user fees and charges; however, the majority of their revenue comes from national government grants, both conditional (sectoral funds) and unconditional (general resource funds). All councils have the same responsibilities including primary education, primary health, forestry, natural resources and community services.
The Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA) is recognised by the government as the voice of local authorities and is the body for coordinating local government training.
Read the profile of the local government system in Malawi.

 

CLGF activities in Malawi

In the lead up to 2014 local elections, as part of the wider DIFD funded programme supporting local governance and local economic development, CLGF collaborated with the Ministry of local government and GIZ in developing a Guidebook on Local Government to increase citizen knowledge on the roles and responsibilities of local government.  In parallel CLGF partnered with MALGA and GIZ on the development of a Councillor Training Handbook to support the association in training incoming councillors, the majority of who were new to local government. Following the elections CLGF supported a 2nd phase of work on increasing the clarity on the roles and responsibilities of local government, through a televised debate on the role of local government. CLGF also continued to work with MALGA on building the capacity of new councillors, supporting training sessions in six southern districts.

CLGF will continue to work with MALGA and the Minister of Local Government and
Rural Development
as it takes forward the EC funded project “Strengthening local government’s role as a partner in development” focused on the role for local government and other local and national actors in localising and implementing the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

CLGF members in Malawi

Knowledge hub

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Board Members

Board Members

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Latest CLGF local government news and information from Southern Africa

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