The Government of the Republic of Zambia has prioritised Decentralisation as a major driver for attaining development, reducing poverty and supporting job creation through citizen engagement and participation at the local level. To actualise decentralisation in line with the Constitution, Government has decided to take significant resources from the National to the Local Government level. In this regard, the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) has been identified as a major tool to take resources closer to the people.

The Fund has since evolved with an expanded scope and increased budget allocation with increased emphasis on enhanced community participation in determining local development priorities. In 2021, Government increased the amount of the CDF from K1.6 million to K25.7 million per Constituency. The expanded scope of the CDF covers three (3) specific areas namely; Community Projects; Youth, Women and Community Empowerment and Secondary Boarding School and Skills Development Bursaries.