Economic Development

Zambia’s Constituency Development Fund proves how much more can be achieved when local people are in control. Will the country’s new government take it to the next level? Austin Macauley reports

The run up to Zambia’s elections in September was characterised by as much mud slinging by rival politicians as you’d find in the UK. But there was one issue that they all agreed on: the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) must be protected at all costs.

We have all suffered the annoying experience of having the sole of a shoe ‘flapping about’ because it has come apart and needs gluing back to the shoe, or having buttons missing on a shirt! Or, things left broken on a shelf for ages, the niggly stuff like how to remove stains, or some practical ‘good old advice’ for a bugging issue.