Local councils lost 5.98 billion kwacha to unexplained spending, and officials couldn't produce the paperwork to account for it.

The National Audit Office's report on the accounts of local authorities for the year ended 31 March 2024 found MK5.98 billion in irregularities across 30 district and city councils, citing controlling officers who repeatedly failed to provide supporting documentation, irregular single-sourced contracts and unqualified contractors, payments made without Internal Procurement Committee approval, and unaccounted-for fuel and construction materials, including at a stalled bus depot project in Jali. The report cites breaches of Malawi's Public Finance Management Act, Public Audit Act, and Local Government Act across multiple councils.