ZAMBIA adopted the National Decentralisation Policy in 2002 and launched it in 2004 with a commitment to implement it in a period of 10 years.
The full implementation of the decentralisation policy means devolving functions with matching resources from the central government to local authorities in order to enhance efficiency in service delivery.
By so doing, decentralisation promotes effective participation of citizens not only in governance issues, but also in making decisions on issues that affect them.
In this set up, local authorities become crucial as they become the key in the provision of the service delivery in various sectors including health, education, and environment.
However, despite overwhelming evidence on the significance of decentralisation, we share the view of President Edgar Lungu that the implementation of the policy has been extremely slow.
Successive governments starting from the UNIP era to the time of MMD have tried but failed to attain a fully decentralised system of government.
We realise that it is beyond doubt that over the years, the implementation of the policy has been embroiled in unnecessary bureaucracy.
This has not only prolonged the process, but also delayed opportunities for the citizens to take part in decisions that affect them.
Studies have shown that countries such as Kenya and South Africa that have been implementing the decentralisation policy have made significant achievements.
Most of the achievements made in these countries point to the fact that fiscal decentralisation enhanced the knowledge of local needs and preferences, which were specific to a locality.
Additionally, the implementation of decentralisation has enhanced political and financial accountability as a result of greater citizens’ participation, ownership and influence.
It is against this background that Mr Lungu realised that as long as the people at the grassroots are ignored, it would be difficult to achieve much.
We welcome the announcement by President Lungu that he will be sitting with his Government to take a second look at the process and find ways in which the implementation could be implemented.
Similarly, we urge all stakeholders including the decentralisation secretariat that has been spearheading the process to eliminate any bottlenecks that have delayed the implementation of the policy.
We also realise the fact that lack of capacity in councils across the country to handle functions that come with decentralisation has been holding back the full implementation.
Admittedly, over the past three decades or so, local authorities in Zambia have undergone significant erosion of financial capacity, such that today their revenue sources are inadequate to enable effective delivery services.
We however, note that this can be easily addressed with a strong political will. While past delays and failures in the implementation could partly be attributed to lack of political will, the Patriotic Front (PF) has given new hope with its emphasis on strong local government in its manifesto.
This has been demonstrated by the recent revision of the Decentralisation Policy and the approval of the Decentralisation Implementation Plan in 2013.
It is our belief that this commitment would continue at all levels of Government to ensure that citizens’ hopes are turned into reality. OPINION