Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Republic of Zambia
Capital: Lusaka
Inhabitants: 11.668.000 (2005)
Area: 752.618 km
1. Introduction
Central Government
(CG)
Central Government
(Ministry of Local
Government and
Housing (MoLGH)
Provincial
Government
(Headed by Deputy
Minister)
Provincial Local
Government Officer
(PLGO)
CG Field
Administration
(Headed by District
Commissioner (DC)
appointed by CG)
Local Authority
(Headed by elected
Mayor and Council
Chair)
Sub-district
structures
Ward Development
committee (WDC)
Residents
Developmt.
Committee (RDC)
II
3. Decentralization
Zambia has made two attempts to
decentralise local government before: in
1968 and 1980. In both cases however, no
meaningful decentralisation took place. The
origins of the current decentralisation
effort can be traced back to 1993 when the
republican President launched the Public
Sector Reform Programme (PSRP) whose
primary objective was to improve the
quality,
delivery,
efficiency
and
effectiveness of the public services. The
programme had three components i.e. (i):
Restructuring of the line ministries; (ii):
Management
and
human
resource
improvement, and (iii): Decentralisation
and strengthening of local government.
Decentralisation was therefore the third
component of the PSRP. The overall
strategy was to position the public sector
so that it facilitates private sector-led
growth. This was in keeping with the new
governments policy of moving the country
from being public sector led to market
orientation.
The policy formulation process of the
current decentralisation reform started in
1995
when
the
consultations
were
initiated. Extensive consultations with
different stakeholders were made between
1995 and 1998. These consultations
III
to
2012
4. Territorial organization
Territorial levels of government and their
nature
As indicated above, Zambia has three
levels of government: Central government,
provincial
administration
and
local
administration. Each of the 9 provincial
administration headquarters is headed a
deputy minister (appointed and answerable
to the president) assisted by a permanent
secretary who is head of the secretariat
and coordinates government activities in
the province. Additionally, in each province
are provincial heads of department who act
as the link between the district and central
line ministries. These are answerable to
their sector ministries on technical matters
while administratively they are supervised
by the provincial permanent secretary on
day to day activities.
In order to improve the operations of the
provincial
administration,
central
government
created
the
Provincial
Development
Coordinating
Committee
(PDCC) whose main function is to
coordinate
the
planning
and
implementation of developmental activities
in the province. It draws its membership
from the DDCCs and provincial sector
ministry officers and is chaired by the
provincial Permanent Secretary. The main
role of the provincial administration is to
coordinate activities of the districts in their
territory. But the province also plays an
important
function
in
development
planning. Firstly, each province has a
provincial planning office. According to the
Town and Country Planning Act (cap 283)
IV
No. of Local
Authorities
Population
Urban
Rural
Central
1,006,766
Copperbelt
1,657,646
Eastern
1,300,973
Luapula
784,613
Lusaka
1,432,401
Northern
11
1,407,088
North
Western
610,975
Southern
1,302,660
Western
782,509
18
54
Total
10,285,631
Territorial reform
The implementation of the decentralization
policy will entail some reform to the
provincial administration.
The policy
envisages a much stronger role to be
performed by the province in development
planning by giving legal backing to the
PDCCs which currently they do not have.
Although it is not clear what structure the
province will take, it is expected that since
more functions will be performed by the
district after devolution there will be
transfer of line ministry staff to local
authorities.
This might mean a leaner
structure at the province although its
functions will largely remain the same but
with a much stronger role.
The Local Government Act stipulates the
composition of the council as follows:
VI
7. Local Finance
Local Authorities are empowered by the
Local government Act to raise finance
through local taxes such as personal levy
and property tax, although Central
Local Taxes
Fees and Charges
Other receipts
National Support
59%
18%
20%
03%
Health Services;
Fire Services;
Road Services;
Police Services;
Primary Education;
Agricultural Services;
VII
8. Conclusion
Local
government
in
Zambia
has
undergone considerable change since 1991
which has led to the virtual collapse of
most councils. Almost all councils are
behind in paying salaries with some rural
councils failing to pay their staff for as long
a period as 18 months.
None of the
councils are in a position to provide
meaningful services.
Poor government
policies have seen to that. Some of the
most notable negative interventions from
government have been:
a) Personal emoluments
b) Provision of services
c) Other expenses
The
appointment
of
District
Administrators by the president in
2000 which led to more centralisation
of power. The District Administrators
office was given more resources than
the councils which further undermined
the effectiveness of the councils.
53%
10%
47%
VIII
IX