Government has released over K3 trillion budgetary allocation to 67 city and district councils in the country for their 2010 budget expenditure.
Local Government and Housing Minister Eustarckio Kazonga disclosed at a press briefing in Lusaka today that five councils will not benefit because they failed to submit their 2009 budget expenditure reports to the ministry.
Dr. Kazonga named the five district councils as Livingstone, Sinazongwe, Mungwi, Mansa and Mwense district councils respectively.
He urged the councils that have not submitted their 2009 expenditure to do so before the end of March 2010 to enable the ministry evaluate their spending.
And Dr Kazonga has announced an increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from K600 million to K666 million per constituency.
He said his ministry has finalized the process of transferring CDF and grants which include recurrent and restructuring to constituencies and councils’ bank accounts.
Dr Kazonga has since directed all town clerks and council secretaries for city, municipal and district councils to check for the funds in their accounts in various commercial banks countrywide.
He said the funds should be utilized for the intended purposes and applied to the deserving projects, programmes and activities in compliance with the local authorities’ regulations.
The Minister further warned that government will not condone misuse of these funds saying the law will visit anyone found wanting.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kazonga revealed that government also released the remaining K110 billion that was approved by parliament in the 2009 national budget for grants to councils from his ministry.
He said the disbursement of government grants to councils, statutory and other institutions under his ministry increased significantly in 2009 as compared to previous years.
He said this was the first time all the approved budgeted grants to councils have been released in full by government through the Ministry of Finance and National Planning to his ministry.
Dr. Kazonga said it was encouraging that this was done despite the global meltdown which did not spare the country.
He explained that government’s support to councils is meant to strengthening their capacities to provide services to local communities and to supplement their locally generated incomes in meeting their recurrent operational costs.
He further said government would soon release an additional K21.4 billion to 18 selected councils in the country as capital grants.
ZANIS
How i wish we had provinces running their own affairs economically, a minister elected by pipo from the province, a province competing with another province. A minister with ambition to outpace other provinces and be proud!
iwe RB ,who is this used,expired man Eustakio fimofimo?wamufumya kwisa?naiwe wayamba ukusokota inkotizo mudiole kwati filya LPM akuletele?
Livingstone, Sinazongwe, Mungwi, Mansa and Mwense district councils’ administrations are hopeless.
Fire them all! We need qualified, serious, determined and competent people in these places!
Goodafternoon
Well, thats quite a lot of money and seeing that most of it stems from the tax payer; I suppose the people have the right to know exactly how/on what it will be spent . We shall monitor the changes…
Livingstone and Mansa are provincial administrative centres and surely they should be the ones role-modeling for smaller councils!
So far from Zambia’s news houses, I observe that councilors and MPs around country have proved to be corrupt and useless.
Guys, please I beg you to prove yourselves and use this money prudently. Elections are just around the corner mind you. K666m may not be enough for the entire constituency but, it can go a long way in alleviating poverty levels throw unselfish utilization of funds.I submit.
I like the new budget cycle.The disbursement of funds begins right at the begining of the year unlike previously where there will be budget presentation and then the debates ensue upto march somewhere there.
George “Red Lips Pelican” Kunda told us that campaigning for 2011 has started. This is obviously one of the gimmicks. By the way, what the latest on kaDan Kalale? Takalafwa?
#1 great comment. Provinces and towns/ cities should be allowed to generate and keep their revenue from taxes. This way there will be a desire to improve infrastructure in order to attract business and be competitive. That is why we should separate the office of Mayor from federal politics. The provinces and cites should not have to wait for the central government to disburse their funds before they embark on projects. We should also allow for the Mayor to hold office for 3 to 4 years to allow them to complete projects with a provision to be recalled if they are under performing. Incompetent town clerks should be purged periodically. The likes of Ali Simwinga in Kitwe who has been around forever but has turned one of the best town in southern Africa to a slum should GO!
#1 & 9 Spot on!
Councils need to be challengee to run their own affairs and be answerable to local people and the Auditor General. The spirit of competion and compentency ought to be cultivated…Right now there is so much red tape..this money will not reach the beneficiaries… it will go into sitting allowances etc. Simon Miti and Kapoko’s saga is only the tip of the iceberg.
Njipushesheko…Simon Miti the billionaire’s wife being treated in a very expensive hospital in SA. Accommodated in a very expensive residence… the government is funding all this. True or False?
why 666 million and not 667 million, are you all satanists like our man VETERAN
Fo shizo, why 666 and 665 or 667 – where did u get the money from?, has the country all gone to my ********* town. All the same councils please pay all your retirees so you may as well start afresh, and coulcils in southern province are in a management crisis i.e. Monze, Gwembe Livingstone and Kazungula, but please clear your retirees