Vice-President George Kunda has advised councillors not to interfere with the role of council officers because that is contrary to the principles of separation of powers at local government level.
Speaking yesterday at the installation of new Lusaka Mayor Daniel Chisenga and his deputy Harry Hapwende, Mr Kunda said councillors should effectively coordinate Government programmes and projects from the grassroots to council level.
“You have a civic responsibility to explain projects initiated by both the central Government, your local authority and cooperating partners which are aimed at alleviating poverty and benefit the people,” he said.
Mr Kunda also advised councillors and council officers to prudently manage public resources and avoid corrupt practices because they received huge amounts of public funds.
He said the role of councillors was to provide policy guidance and pass decisions as well as interfacing with citizens, potential investors and other stakeholders in matters of local economic development.
[pullquote]“You have a civic responsibility to explain projects initiated by both the central Government, your local authority and cooperating partners which are aimed at alleviating poverty and benefit the people,” he said.
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He said council employees should implement policies aimed at fulfilling development aspirations to accelerate socio-economic development in all corners of the country.
The vice-president said the Government was committed to implementing a robust fiscal decentralisation framework and had increased allocation to local Government in order to enhance service delivery.
He said that the budgetary allocation to councils was K110 billion in 2009, K113 billion in 2010 and in 2009, K90 billion was allocated as Constituency Development Fund, translating into K600 million per constituency.
He urged councils to support the ‘Make Zambia Clean and Healthy’ campaign to improve community and personal hygiene.
He said the Government would soon announce the appointment of commissioners for the Local Government Service Commission that would have powers to employ, appoint, confirm, discipline and transfer councils officers.
Out-going Lusaka mayor Robert Chikwelete said there should be no politicking because people should not suffer because of differences in political opinion.
He said that government should also release funds for the clearing of drainage on time to avoid flooding in townships because the council had finances to do it alone.
New mayor, Mr Chisenga said challenges faced by the council could only be fought if all stakeholders partnered with the council.
Mr Chisenga said there was a huge task ahead and he would personally see to it that street lighting was done and drainage was improved in flood-prone areas.
And the Government has implored Solwezi Municipal Council to be transparent in the utilisation of money collected from rates, especially colossal amounts it receives from Kansanshi Mine, and warned that the State will not tolerate abuse.
North-Western Province Minister, Daniel Kalenga said during the installation of Sandang’ombe MMD councillor, Jameson Kapumba as mayor that accountability should be extended to other funds.
He warned that Government would not hesitate to take punitive action on any council, councillor or officer cited in audit reports for misapplication or misappropriation of public funds.
Mr Kalenga said the administration of President Banda would continue with its development programmes designed to lessen people’s suffering.
And the new Mayor, Mr Kapumba, who takes over from Peter Kikatula after serving his two mandatory terms, conceded that challenges awaited him in his new office, and called for support from the people to move forward the district.
Mr Kikatula said his tenure was not easy, but projects including construction of a new chamber, extension of council offices and street lights were undertaken through team work.
In Ndola, Local Government and Housing Minister, Eustarkio Kazonga has warned Ndola City Council to desist from politicising the office of mayor at the expense of service delivery.
He said if the councillors failed to heed the advice he would not hesitate to suspend the entire council.
Dr Kazonga said on Monday that it was important for the mayor and councillors to perform their duties diligently because residents were looking up to them for service delivery.
Officiating at the installation of the new mayor, Friday Sikazwe and his deputy Oscar Himanga at the civic centre grounds, Dr Kazonga said councillors had a responsibility to provide services for the benefit of the community.
The new mayor, Mr Sikazwe called on Government to construct more modern markets after the opening of Ndeke and Chisokone markets at a cost of K13 billion.
Former mayor, Charles Chiwala advised the new mayor and his deputy to ensure that there was a good work relationship between the councillors and the council management to ensure that there was effective delivery of service.
Copperbelt Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima advised councillors against pre-occupying themselves with private agendas at the expense of providing civic services to the people whom they are mandated to serve.
Mr Mbulakulima said being a councillor entailed being with the people within the wards and not just to be found at council offices all the time.
He was speaking when he officiated at the installation ceremony of new Mufulira Mayor, Andrew Msiska and his deputy, Catherine Mutale at the Mufulira Municipal Council on Monday.
Mr Mbulakulima said in a speech read for him by Copperbelt Provincial Local Government Officer, Solomon Sakala that Government’s expectation of councils was for them to come up with programmes that related with the people.
Outgoing mayor, Thomson Ngulube called on the Government to address the problem of poor road infrastructure in the district.
And Works and Supply Minister Mike Mulongoti has implored the new mayor of Chingola McDonald Mulongoti to be accountable to the people and avoid being influenced by partisan politics.
He said relying on advice from outside Chingola council would mislead him and betray the people of Chingola that put him in office.
Officiating at the installation of the mayor in Chingola on Monday afternoon, Mr Mulongoti advised the new mayor to be proactive in order to deliver to the people who
entrusted him with responsibility.
The minister said the local government authorities were an agent of the central Government charged with the responsibility of implementing projects initiated by the the State.
The new mayor thanked Government for a grant of K2.4 billion to his council coming in form of K1.2 billion general grant and K1.2 billion as constituency development funds.
Mr Mulongoti called for team work and promised to do everything possible not to betray his fellow councillors and the people of Chingola.
He should tell even MMD controlled councils the same message. Apart from GRZ inadequacies, it is politicking which have contributed to the dilapitation of our towns.