AFRICANEWS

Zambia

Local Authorities in Shambles

Corruption

Almost all councils have been hit by financial problems to the verge of collapse. They face huge carry overs of debts and late salaries have become common problem. Eighty percent of the councils are in arrears of workers salaries and only a few, mainly city and municipal councils are uptodate with salaries for thei workers. 'I'he situation is worrying.

Mufulila Municipal Council workers have not been paid their salaries for 22 months, Isoka District Council has defaulted for 20 months, Mporokoso District Council 12 months. Gwembe District Council 12 months, Nakonde District Council seven months, Kapiri Mposhi district Council seven months and Mongu District Council, four months.

The list is endless but it reflects the gravity of the financial problems the councils are going through. Initially, it was small councils areas outlying areas which were because of the Iimited revenue base. But now, the turbulent waters' have not spared even the big councils which are considered to have the potential to generate revenue. The effects are multiple; failure to pay salaries. I.arge debts and generally failure to provide adequate services to the people.

A handful of councils are in a position to pay salaries in time and the situation is worrying. Some stakeholders contend that the councils are on the verge of collapse and unless the situation was addressed in time, the whole local government machinery would ground. much to the detriment of the central government and the people it is intended to serve. Zambia United Local Authorities Workers Union (ZULAWU) President Abraham Mutakila is concerned that the central government is paying a deaf ear to the problems of the councils.

"When will the government listen to the problems of the councils. Is it when getting closer to elections or all year round? People want services throughout the year," Mr Mutakila said. "We have always been embarrassed to discuss the same issue- their own obligation - with the machinery." Mr Mutakila says the situation in councils is bad and needs ulgellt attention and contends the govenment is reluctant to finance the councils.

"We are fed up with the problem. The central government appears to be reluctant to finance the councils. It is either they are reluctant to finance the councils or they have failed to run them," Mr Mutakila charged. He says the govenment should abolish some councils if it has failed to run them but warns of the serious consequences of such a move. "If they have failed or are reluctant to finance the councils, then they should abolish some of them. What is the point of having councils which are not functioning," Mr Mutakila said.

"But if we abolish some of the councils, there will be no services in those areas and the people will complain. We in ZUI.AWU are sayhlg this is laughable." Mr Mutakila says the problem with councils is not managemnt but money and that the government should fund the councils because they were established to assist central government in running affairs where it can not reach.

"If the problem is management of councils, then it can be resolved but the questioll is money. You can replace management ten times but that will not solve anything if the is no money," he said.

He argues that while councils can not solely depend on grants but other avenues of revenue, the small councils in the country side will depend solely on grants because of theil poor revenue base. Mr Mutakila says even it city and municipal councils can generate revenue it is not enough and so they also need grants. He says the government should give grants to councils to offset what it would have paid in rates for infrustructure but it does not pay.

"Grants should be commensurate with the financial worthiness of that council," he said ZUI.AWU General Secretaly Oust Choongo blames the councils� problems to lack of funding and the sale of council houses and warns that the councils will collapse in seven to eight months if measures are not taken to address their problems.

"Things are just on the loose. This situation is still initial but in seven to eight months, councils will collapse. All this is due to lack of funding and the selling of council houses which they gave away." Mr Choongo said.

He says the removal of licensing from councils has also contributed their-poor revenue base and this was worse for small councils depending on levies like fish, maize and others which "come once in a while." Mr Choongo says the government should include the funding of councils in its budget because they can't survive without support. "Councils should be funded, after all a govemment is known by what it does to citizens, the survival of any government depends on how councils deliver the services," Mr Choongo said .

Local Government and Housing Minister Bennie Mwiing, argues that councils have their own means of generating revenue and should not depend on grants because they will never be enough. "Councils have their own means of generating revenue according to their statute. Grants will never be enough. We keep on advising them," Mr Mwiinga said.

Mr Mwiinga said the government assists councils with limited evenue base but argues that not all small councils do not have the capacity to generate revenue. "Smaller councils have done better than big councils you have thougllt to have the revenue base.

To say that small councils do not have the revenue base is generalisation," he said, the Local Government Association of Zambia LGAZ plans to hold a national symposium of all stakeholders to establish fundamental principles of an intergovernmental system of fiscal relationship. LGAZ executive secretary Maurice Mbolela is hopeful that the symposium to be held before the end of April 1986 will find lasting solutions to the problems facing councils. "The question of funding as a whole is a subject which has been discussed at various fora. We are of the view as an association to have a national symposium of all stakeholdels to establish some kind of fundamental principles of an intergovernmental system of fiscal relation," Mr Mbolela said. Mr Mbolela also blames the lack of policy on how much should be appropriated to specific councils.

"At the moment, there is no policy on how much should go to Lusaka City Council or Kaputa District Council, the two may receive the same amounts but they are different in size and operations," Mr Mbolela said. The importance of councils as a direct link with the people cannot be over-emphasised. Their financial status ultimately determines the service they provide to the people.

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