Speaking on Tuesday, the minister revealed the decentralisation process has entered a bold new phase, with councils no longer just handed responsibilities on paper, but now actually equipped with the financial firepower to deliver on them. “Functions and sectors have been devolved to councils, but over a long period of time, resources were still kept at Capital Hill. This time around, resources are now back in the councils, leaving the central government just on advisory and policy-holder roles,” Phiri declared. “For the first time we have posted qualified engineers to all the councils in Malawi. Finally, addressing a separate but equally sensitive issue, Phiri revealed government is now reviewing the process for elevating traditional leaders, after some councils became so overcrowded with chiefs that available space in council chambers itself became a genuine problem.