Millions in CDF funds lie idle as projects stall

Millions of Namibia dollars allocated through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) remain unspent in the Daures constituency, with approved projects stalled and many in the community desperate for basic services.

Erongo regional councillor for Daures, Inecia Brandt, recently tabled a motion at a council meeting highlighting that several projects dating back to the 2023/24 financial year remain incomplete due to procurement failures.

“Every unspent dollar represents a missed opportunity for our communities. Schools left without resources, farmers without equipment, and households without promised support,” Brandt said.

The councillor warned that allowing the funds to lapse would “waste public money” and erode trust in the regional council’s ability to deliver on its mandate.

Among the main causes of unfulfilled commitments are non-responsive bidding processes, late deliveries and suppliers failing to provide essential equipment.

Brandt said “significant balances from previous financial years remain unused, despite urgent community needs”, pointing to a gap between budget allocation and actual service delivery.

The motion attributes the delays primarily to inefficiencies in procurement processes, which have slowed or halted the implementation of development initiatives. As a result, communities have been left without resources promised under approved projects.

Development stalled

Substantial balances have remained intact over multiple financial cycles.

A previous council resolution allowed these funds to remain available until the 2025/2026 financial year, but concerns have now shifted to whether the projects will be completed before further delays undermine their viability.

To address the situation, Brandt's motion proposes rolling over all unspent CDF balances into the 2026/2027 financial year, effectively extending the window for implementation.

It further calls for accelerated procurement processes, including the use of direct contracting with identified suppliers.

In addition, the chief regional officer is to be directed to ensure immediate access to the funds and to conclude procurement by the end of the third quarter of the 2026/2027 financial year.

The motion stated that failure to act decisively “risks setting back development initiatives and undermining the credibility of this council”.