CIVIC EDUCATION

Local Government Systems In Zambia

Presented by Grenah

Describe the local government system in Zambia.

• Local government before independence was ruled by the British Colonial Administration through
the central government and native authorities.

• The native fell under the ministry of native affairs.

• The native authorities consisted of chiefs and other traditional leaders. The duties performed by
natives included the; • Collection of taxes.

• Issuing license such as dog, store and bicycle licenses.

• Chiefs performed some judicial functions such as handling civil cases at local courts.

• After 1964 the ministry of local government became responsible for the administration of all
local authorities in the country.

• Steps were taken to establish councils in rural areas, and most of the inherited rural local
authorities were based on traditional units of government, but they were too small to be either
administrative or financially viable.

• The new councils included chiefs appointed by the Minister of Local Government.

• These councils provided a limited range of basic essential services such as schools, libraries,
markets and housing.

• In 1965, a uniform pattern of local authorities throughout the country was established under act
number 69 and there were city, municipal, township and rural councils.

• Then in 1980, the local government decentralization act was enacted. The act allowed UNIP to
take up full responsibility to control the operations of all councils in Zambia.

It was at this point when, District Governors appointed by the president took over from the mayors and
chairpersons and all councils in the country became district councils.

Reasons for the 1980 decentralization were;

• Reduce delays as most decisions could be made on the spot instead of referring to headquarters.

• Make plans and programmes more relevant to local needs and conditions.

• Improve co-ordination between different government agencies in the area.

• Reduce the burden of senior staff at national level in order to improve their performance.
• The district council administration was headed by the district executive secretary and supported
by secretaries.

• In 1991 another decentralization act was amended and it introduced three types of local
councils, these were; City, municipal and district councils. Town Clerks and Mayors are found in City and
Municipal Councils while Council Secretary and Council Chairpersons are found in District councils.

• This has continued to present. The MMD government wanted to give more powers to the
councils so that there was less dependence on central government for funds.

• And this made the councils to operate freely without interference from political parties.

Functions of local councils are;

• Providing clean and safe water.

• Providing accommodation and plots for development.

• Maintaining the environment.

• Collecting levies.

• Making by-laws.

• Providing education facilities and control epidemics such as cholera.

• Awarding trading license to people.

• Sewage disposal.

• Providing street lighting.

• Maintaining streets and roads.

• Maintaining graveyards.

• Controlling livestock movements.

• Constructing and maintaining markets.

• Town planning.

• Providing recreation facilities such as swimming pools and parks.