THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN zambia

COUNTRY PROFILE 2017–18

ZAMBIASUMMARY
Zambia is a democratic republic with two spheres of government, national andlocal. There is constitutional provision for local government and the main governing
legislation includes the Local Government Act 1991 and the Local Government
Elections Act 1992. The 103 local authorities are overseen by the Ministry of Local
Government and Housing and consist of four city councils, 15 municipal councils and
84 district councils. There are also ten provinces, which are purely administrative.
At the local elections in 2011, 6.2% of councillors were women. Following the 2016
national election, 18.0% of elected representatives were women. Local governments
must establish and maintain roads, bridges, ferries, watercourses, street lighting andpublic transport, as well as provide firefighting and prevention, and environmental
health services. Councils must also provide and maintain supplies of water; maintaindrains, sewers and roads; and dispose of sewage and refuse. They must maintaincemeteries, crematoria and mortuaries, parks, zoos, gardens, pleasure grounds,
camping grounds, caravan sites, art galleries, libraries, museums and film services.
1. NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
Zambia is a democratic republic witha unicameral parliament, known as the
National Assembly.52..1a The head of stateand government is the president, who isdirectly elected for a five-year term anda maximum of two terms. The National
Assembly has 150 elected members
and not more than ten (usually eight)
nominated members. Elections are
conducted using the first-past-the-postsystem in single-member constituencies,
and members sit for a term of five years.
The president appoints the vice-president
and cabinet from amongst the membersof the national assembly; no more than
five members of cabinet can be appointed
from amongst the nominated members.
Following the 2016 national election, 18.0%
of elected representatives were women.52.1b
2. LEGAL BASIS FOR
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
2.1 Constitutional provisions
Part 8 of the constitution52.2a provides fora system of local government comprisedof councils elected on the basis ofuniversal adult suffrage.
2.2 Main legislative texts
The relevant legislative texts are:52.2b■■ Local Government Act 1991
(Cap. 281),
and amendments: Act No. 19, 1992; Act
No. 30, 1993; Act No. 13, 1994; Act No. 30,
1995; Act No. 22, 1995; Act No. 8, 2004;
Act No. 9, 2004; and Act No. 6, 2010■■ Local Government Elections Act 1992
(Cap. 282) amended twice.
2.3 Proposed legislative changes
No information is available
2.4 National urban policy
There is no national urban policy inZambia; however in 2015 the Urban
and Regional Planning Act was passed.
This Act provides a comprehensive
modern legislative framework for urban
development, namely:www.clgf.org.uk/zambia

■■

■■

■■

■■

■■

■■

development, planning andadministration principles, standards andrequirements for urban and regional
planning processes and systems
a framework for administering andmanaging urban and regional planningguidelines for establishing accountable,transparent, participatory and inclusive
process for urban and regional
planning that allows for involvementof communities, private sector, interest
groups and other stakeholders
guidelines on ensuring functional
efficiency and socioeconomic
integration by providing for the
integration of urban activities, uses andfacilities
procedures for integrated urban
and regional planning in a devolved
system of governance so as to ensure
multi-sector cooperation, coordinationand involvement of different levels ofgovernment, traditional leaders andother stakeholders
the promotion of environmental,social and economic sustainability indevelopment initiatives and controls at
all levels of urban and regional planning.

3. STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
3.1 Local government within the state
The government approved a national
decentralisation policy in November
2002, following two previous failed
attempts in 1968 and 1980. The policy
covers aspects such as empowering local
people through setting up sub-district
structures, and clearly defined roles andresponsibilities for local authorities, theprovinces and national government.
Additionally, it states that the ultimate
aim of the government is decentralisation
through devolution, although the process
will start with de-concentration of services
while capacity is being developed in thelocal authorities. The objective of thepolicy is to enhance governance, by giving
citizens more authority and power indecision-making at the local level.

KEY FACTS
POPULATION (2017 estimate):
16,405,229
AREA (UN 2006):
752,612 sq km
CAPITAL:
LusakaCURRENCY:
Zambian kwacha (ZMK)HEAD OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT:
President Edgar Lungu
FORM OF GOVERNMENT:
democratic republic
PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM:
unicameral
STATE STRUCTURE:
unitary state
LANGUAGES:
English (official); Bemba, Kaonde, Lozi,
Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga (recognised)
NATIONAL ELECTIONS:
last: 2016, turnout: 54.4%; next: 2021
WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT (2016):
18.0%
LOCAL ELECTIONS:
last: 2016, turnout: 54.7%; next: 2021
WOMEN COUNCILLORS (2016):
8.1%
LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE
as a percentage of total government
expenditure 2012:
0.9%

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COUNTRY PROFILE 2017–18

Table 52.1a Distribution of councils and population
Province

CitiesMunicipal
councils

District
councils

Total numberof councils

Population(2010 Census)

Population(2017 estimate)% rural(2010)

National

–

na

na

11

1,267,803

nana

Copperbelt

3

na

na

10

2,305,258

nana

Eastern

–

na

na

9

1,766,300

nanaLuapula

–

na

na

11

1,099,151

nanaLusaka

1

na

na

8

2,669,249

nanaMuchinga

–

na

na

7

858,179

na

na

Northern

–

na

na

9

1,264,212

na

na

North Western

–

na

na

9

811,706

na

na

Southern

–

na

na

13

1,799,885nanaWestern

–

na

na

16

975,282

na

na

Total

4

15

84

103

14,817,025

16,405,229

41.5

Source: MLGH communication with CLGF, the 2010 census52.3a and the 2017 population estimates52.3b

3.2 Ministerial oversight
The Ministry of Local Government andHousing (MLGH)52.3c is responsible
for overseeing local government. The
mission of the ministry is ‘to promotea decentralized and democratic local
government system and facilitate
the provision of efficient deliveryof quality housing, infrastructure
and other social services by local
authorities and other stakeholders forsustainable development’. MLGH has
the following six departments: Human
Resources and Administration, Local
Government Administration, Housing
and Infrastructure Development,
Physical Planning, Government Valuation
and Decentralisation. MLGH is also
responsible for the following statutory
bodies and institutions: Chalimbana
Local Government Training Institute, theNational Housing Authority, the National
Fire Services Training School and the
Local Authorities Superannuation
Fund. The provincial liquor licensing

boards have been abolished and local
authorities have been given full licensing
powers, following the repeal of the
Liquor Licensing Act (Cap. 167). With theenactment of the Local Government
Amendment (Act No. 6, 2010), the Local
Government Service Commission has
been re-established with oversight from
MLGH. The commission is mandated tohire, fire, promote, demote and discipline
officials of all councils. MLGH has also
been responsible for providing various
national grants to councils, including theConstituency Development Fund (seeSection 9.3).
3.3 Council types
There is one tier of local government.
Local governments are called councils
and there are currently 103 councils –four city councils, 15 municipal councils
and 84 district councils. In general, city
councils are located in those urban
districts which have more population

Table 52.1b Women councillors and mayors following the last three local elections
Election

2006

2011

2016

Councillors

#

%

#

%

#

%

Female councillors

na

7.3

85

6.2

132

8.1

Male councillors

na

92.7

1,297

93.8

1,492

91.9

Total councillors

na

100.0

1,382

100.0

1,624

100.0

Chairpersons

#

%

#

%

#

%

Female mayors

na

na

na

na

9

8.3

Male mayors

na

na

na

na

100

91.7

Total mayors

na

100.0

na

100.0

109

100.0

Source: Gender links 201252.4b and communication with LGAZ

280

and diversification in economic activities,
while the municipal councils cover thesuburban regions. District councils arelocated in those relatively rural districts
which have less population and rely
heavily on agriculture, and hence havefewer local tax revenue resources.
However, legally all councils have thesame mandates and authority vis-à-vis
their residents and national government.
There are also ten provinces, which areused for purely administrative purposes:
National, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula,
Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern, North
Western, Southern and Western. Eachprovince is headed by a provincial
minister appointed by the president
and there are provincial departmentsof national government ministries.
A council has both legislative andadministrative wings. In the legislative
wing, councillors are directly elected byuniversal adult suffrage on the firstpast-the-post system as representativesof the residents. The officials working in
the administrative wing are hired by the
Local Government Service Commission
from either within or outside the district.
4. ELECTIONS
4.1 Recent local elections
The last local government elections were
held alongside the presidential andparliamentary elections in 2016 witha turnout of 54.7%.52.4a The next local
elections are scheduled for 2021.
4.2 Voting system
No information is available.
4.3 Elected representatives
The term of office for the mayor or council
chairperson, who is elected by councillors
from among themselves, is five years.

www.clgf.org.uk/zambia

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN zambia

COUNTRY PROFILE 2017–18

Table 52.2a Aggregate income and expenditure for local government 2012
Income

ZMKbnCentre–local transfers

Expenditure

ZMKbn

Administration

Restructuring Grant

25.2

Staff

na

Recurrent Grant

80.5

Propertyna

Capital Grant

125.5

Other

na

Grant in Lieu of Rates

25.5

Services

Locally raised revenue

na

Water

na

Property taxesnaRoad maintenancena

Licences and fees

na

Other

na

TOTAL INCOME>256.7TOTAL EXPENDITURE

the main communication channel
between MLGH and councils. Provincial
local government officers (PLGOs) aremandated to supervise and provide
guidance to the councils within theirprovinces, while local government
auditors audit the financial accountsof the councils, including the financial
management of capital projects fundedby the Constituency Development Fund(see Section 9.3). Other initiatives include:■■>256.7■■

Source: MLGH communication with CLGF

4.4 Women’s representation
Following the 2016 elections 8.1% (132/1,624)
of elected councillors were women, up from
6.2% in 2011. *.3% (9/109) of mayors elected
in 2016 were women. (see table 52.1b)
5. SYSTEMS FORCOMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
5.1 Legal requirement
Following the adoption of thenational decentralisation policy it wasa requirement to create sub-district
structures called area development
committees (ADCs) to enhancecommunity involvement in local decisionmaking processes. To provide legal
backing to ADCs, an amendment to theexisting Registration and Development of
Villages Act is in preparation. In addition,
the Urban and Regional Planning Bill, if
enacted, will require councils to involvecommunities more in their planning andbudgeting processes.
5.2 Implementation
Some councils have developed participatory
planning and budgeting mechanisms,with some external assistance. MLGH issues
annual budget guidelines to all councils,
as well as guidelines on the utilisationand management of the Constituency
Development Fund (see Section 9.3).
These guidelines always emphasise
the importance of consultation withstakeholders – both the local communityand civil society organisations, nongovernment and faith-based organisations

and the private sector – for their planningand budgeting.
5.3 ICT use in citizen engagement
Since internet access is still limited tourban areas or to those who can afford
mobile-phone access, e-governmenthas been very sparingly used in service
delivery by councils.
6. ORGANISED LOCAL GOVERNMENT
There is a single voluntary national
association for all councils: the Local
Government Association of Zambia(LGAZ).52.6 Its principal objective is toprotect and promote the interests of local
government in Zambia. The association
has no legal or constitutional recognition,
however, and is funded throughmembership subscriptions. All the 103
councils are associates of LGAZ and theassociation has provincial boards under its
executive board at the national level. LGAZ
organises an annual conference, which
includes a session where the associates(councils) and MLGH directly discuss
concerns raised by the associate councils.
When necessary, LGAZ follows up theissues raised in the session with MLGH.
7. INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONSWhen necessary, MLGH convenes
representatives from relevant councils
to collect views. The office of theprovincial local government officers
and auditors, represents MLGH within
the 10 provincial capitals and acts as

Table 52.2b Local government expenditure
as a percentage of total government expenditure 2012/13
2012/13
actualTotal government expenditure

27,698.2

Total local government expenditure>256.7

Local government expenditure as a percentage of total government expenditure

0.9%

Source: Table 52.2a and the national budget statement52.9

www.clgf.org.uk/zambia

In 2008, MLGH launched its WideArea Network, a computer-based
network aiming to connect the MLGH
headquarters and satellites at thenational level, all the provincial branches,
as well as all 103 councils in the country.
The National Assembly operates acommittee system, which includes acommittee on local governance, housing
and chiefs’ affairs, where policy issues andactivities relating to local government
are scrutinised. The proceedings of thecommittee are open to the public, andthe committee is, whenever necessary,
entitled to seek public input in written
form on issues under consideration andto invite any members of the public totheir meetings as witnesses. Councillors
and council officials, if appropriate, canbe invited to committee meetings or the
public forum.

8. MONITORING SYSTEMS
Each council’s annual accounts should
be finalised no later than six months after
the fiscal year-end. Local government
auditors appointed by MLGH then visit all
103 councils to audit their annual financial
accounts. Audit reports are submitted
to both the council and the ministry,and each council submits an ‘action
taken’ report within 60 days of receipt
of its audit report. MLGH consolidates
these reports and submits them to theparliamentary committee for scrutiny.
MLGH also scrutinises council minutes.
MLGH issues a budget circular together
with budget guidelines every year. PLGOs
are mandated to provide supervisionand guidance to the councils within theirprovinces in the budget-making process.
The MLGH headquarters, through the
Department of Local Government andHousing, scrutinises the budget estimates
submitted by councils through PLGOs andcorrects them, if necessary, in accordancewith the budget guidelines or the budget
ceilings of the grants approved by the
National Assembly. The minister of local
government and housing approves
councils’ budget estimates. Councils arealso directed to submit quarterly receipts
and payments accounts to MLGH throughtheir local PLGO, together with copies of
their meetings’ minutes and resolutions;as well as annual receipts and payments
accounts together with their own budget
performance analysis to MLGH.

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9. FINANCE, STAFFING AND RESOURCES
9.1 Local government expenditure
No information is available on local
government expenditure as a proportionof total government expenditure.
9.2 Locally raised revenue
Although councils are responsible forraising and collecting local taxes and user
fees, not all have been able to collect theirlocal revenues as budgeted. There is nocomprehensive data available from MLGH
on the revenues collected by councils.
9.3 Transfers
Under Section 45 of the Local
Government Act 1991, the government
must make grants to local authorities forservices including water and sanitation,
primary healthcare, fire protection, roads,
municipal police, primary education
and agricultural support. Education andhealth are the responsibility of national
government and, although there havebeen attempts to decentralise these
services, they are not yet devolved
to local government. The ministriesof education and health have so far
de-concentrated their functions down
to the district level. MLGH distributed
its 2012 grants to councils under thefollowing headings: Restructuring
Grant (ZMK25.2bn), Recurrent
Grant (ZMK80.5bn), Capital Grant(ZMK125.5bn), and Grant in Lieu of Rates(ZMK25.5bn). In 2010 the government
implemented a formula-based grantsystem in regard to the Recurrent Grant.
Plans are underway to extend this andto subject all grants to predetermined
criteria so as to enhance accountability
in the use of public funds at local level. It
is also anticipated that a performancebased grant system will be in place tosupport the devolving sectors.
9.4 Loans
Article 47 of the Local Government Act
1991 states that a council may borrow suchsums of money as may be required forthe purpose of discharging its functions
in all or any of the following ways: (a) byloan under Article 45; (b) by the issue ofstock or bonds; (c) by mortgage; d) bytemporary loan or overdraft from a bankor other source; (e) by loan from any othersource. Article 48 states that no council
shall borrow money or receive any grantof money from a foreign government or
foreign organisation.
9.5 Local authority staff
National government does not pay any
salaries of those working in councilrun establishments. Councillors(elected representatives of councils) areremunerated by allowances from theircouncil but are not paid salaries.

282

10. DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICE
DELIVERY RESPONSIBILITY
10.1 Overview of local government
service delivery responsibility
The Local Government Act 1991
stipulates 63 functions that councils
may discharge. Around half thesefunctions focus on investment andmaintenance of infrastructure andare the sole responsibility of theindividual council. These include theestablishment and maintenance ofroads, bridges, ferries, watercourses,
street lighting and public
transport services, firefighting andprevention services and environmental
health services. Councils must also
provide and maintain supplies
of water as well as establish andmaintain drains, sewers and works forurban and feeder roads, and disposeof sewage and refuse. They must
maintain and establish cemeteries,
crematoria and mortuaries, together
with parks, zoos, gardens, pleasuregrounds, camping grounds, caravansites, art galleries, libraries, museums
and film services. Councils also havejoint responsibility, alongside various
sector-specific government agencies,
for: the conservation of natural
resources; the protection and control
of local forests and woodlands; theestablishment and maintenance of
farms and allotment gardens; and thestorage, marketing and preservationof agricultural produce. They further
share responsibility for establishing andmaintaining colleges, schools and day
nurseries, public swimming baths andother social/recreational facilities, forpostal services, and for the promotionof road safety. Finally, councils aremandated to prepare and administer
schemes for the encouragementof and participation in community
development, targeting some services
at marginalised groups.
10.2 ICT use in service delivery
A number of initiatives are being
undertaken by the government, and thenumber of ICT projects has increased
over the years, especially in the public
sector. Examples include the Integrated
Financial Management Information
System (IFMIS) project, the Payroll
Management and Establishment Control
project and the building of a Wide Area
Network (see Section 7), which is essential
to the establishment of e-government.
The policy goal is ‘to improve public
sector management as well as efficientand effective delivery of public goods andservices through the implementation of
e-government systems’. As a first step,national government has mobilised
resources to connect MLGH to all theprovincial offices and councils in Zambia.
In 2010 the government piloted its

COUNTRY PROFILE 2017–18

medium-term expenditure framework/
activity-based budget (MTEF/ABB)
guidelines in seven councils as a way ofstrengthening the tracking system on theuse of public funds.
10.3 The role of local governmentin achieving the UN Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs)
In 2015, the Government of Zambia andthe UN signed a Sustainable Development
Partnership Framework that governs thework of all UN agencies on the SDGs in
Zambia from 2016 to 2021.52.10
REFERENCES AND USEFUL WEBSITES
52.1a Zambia national governmentwww.parliament.gov.zm
52.1b Women in national parliaments
www.ipu.org/wmn-e/classif.htm
52.2a Constitution of Zambia
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/
groups/public/documents/cafrad/unpan004847.pdf
52.2b Local Government Act 1991 http://
faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/zam92634.pdf
52.3a 2010 Population and Housing
Census www.zamstats.gov.
zm/phocadownload/2010_
Census/2010%20Census%20
of%20Population%20
National%20Analytical%20
Report.pdf
52.3b Census projection 2011–2035
www.zamstats.gov.zm/index.php/
publications/category/55-censusprojections
52.3c Ministry of Local Government andHousing www.mlgh.gov.zm
52.4a Electoral Commission of Zambia
www.elections.org.zm
52.4b Gender links (2012) ‘Where are all
the women?’ http://genderlinks.
org.za/programme-web-menu/
publications/where-are-all-thewomen-2012-04-19
52.5
No reference for this section
52.6. Local Government Association ofZambia www.lga-zambia.org.zm
52.7
No reference for this section
52.8 No reference for this section
52.9 National Budget Statement
www.parliament.gov.zm/sites/
default/files/images/publication_
docs/2016 Budget Speech - 9
October 2015.pdf
52.10 Government of Zambia andUN sign framework agreement
www.qfmzambia.com/2015/11/19/
zambia-ready-for-sdgschallenges-wina
52.11b UN statistics surface area
http://unstats.un.org/unsd/
demographic/products/dyb/
dyb2006/Table03.pdf
52.11a UNDP HDR Zambia country
profile http://hdr.undp.org/en/
countries/profiles/ZMB

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COUNTRY PROFILE 2017–18

Annex 52a Summary of service provision in different spheres of government in Zambia
Delivering authority
Services

National government

Local government

Remarks

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
PolicenFire protectionnCivil protectionnCriminal justicen

Civil status registernStatistical officenElectoral registern

EDUCATION
Pre-school (kindergarten and nursery)nPrimarynSecondaryn

Vocational and technicalnHigher educationnAdult educationn

SOCIAL WELFARE
Family welfare servicesnWelfare homesnSocial securityn

PUBLIC HEALTH
Primary carenHospitalsn

Health protectionnn

HousingnnTown planningnnRegional planning

n

n

n

n

n

HOUSING AND TOWN PLANNING

TRANSPORT
Roads
TransportnUrban roadsnUrban rail

n

Ports

n

n

Airports
ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SANITATIONn

Water and sanitationn

Refuse collection and disposalnCemeteries and crematorianSlaughterhousesnnEnvironmental protectionnn

CULTURE, LEISURE AND SPORTSnn

Theatre and concertsnnConsumer protection

Museums and libraries
Parks and open spaces
Sports and leisure

n
n
n/a

n
n

Religious facilities
UTILITIES

n/a

Gas services

n/aDistrict heatingnWater supplynElectricity
ECONOMICnn

Agriculture, forests and fisheriesnnLocal economic development/promotionnnTrade and industrynnTourismnnn sole responsibility service n joint responsibility service n discretionary service

www.clgf.org.uk/zambia

283