By SYLVESTER MWALE –
AS Zambia joins the African Union (AU) today in commemorating the African Day for Decentralisation, focus will be on the past failures to achieve a fully decentralised system of governance.
However, the day also offers a window of opportunity to energise and reflect on the recent strides made by the Patriotic Front (PF) towards enhancing a decentralised system of governance that is reliable and predictable.
Since 2012, August 10 has been used by governments of AU member States to educate citizens about their decentralised and local development programme.
Apparently, achieving a fully decentralised governance system has been an aspiration for successive governments in Zambia who have hoped to enhance quality services delivery.
Nevertheless, it is hardly an exaggeration of truth to state that the decision to implement the decentralisation policy appears to have been a song without ending since 1964.
But coming of the Patriotic Front (PF) into power in 2011 raised probably the strongest hope ever with its emphasis on local government as one of its core issues in the governance.
Therefore, the 2014 African Day for Decentralisation, under the theme ‘‘ Taking local government close to the people’’ comes at no better time than now when the country is struggling to implement the policy.
“Over the past two years, the decentralisation process has gained considerable progress and the government is ready to commence devolution of functions from central government to councils by 2015,” said Local Government Minister Emmanuel Chenda.
Mr Chenda noted that a number of important milestones have been attained in as far as the implementation of the decentralisation policy is concerned.
“So far, my ministry has held sensitisation meetings in six provinces and the meetings in the remaining four are planned to take place within the first quarter of 2014,” he explained.
President Michael Sata’s creation of more districts has been perceived as a clear demonstration on how he desires to take services closer to the citizens.
Paradoxically, experiences in other countries like Kenya have shown that success in achieving a decentralised system of governance is guarantee where there is a good law.
Therefore, the ongoing review of the Local Government Act could be a crucial turning point in transforming the past pronouncements into affirmative actions.
“For the first time in many years, the conditions for implementing the decentralisation policy have enjoyed a good support from the government,” says decentralisation secretariat director Alfred Sakwiya.
“As a result, most fundamental issues on the way forward with the implementation of the policy have been agreed.
Mr Sakwiya noted that it was also important to revisit and review the values and principles on how Africa wanted to govern its people during the celebrations of the Decentralisation Day.
But it must be noted that there is still a growing concern on the delay by Cabinet to approve the decentralisation implementation plan (DIP) which would pave way for the full implementation of the policy.
A Parliamentary Committee on Estimates recently observed that the implementation of fiscal decentralisation in Zambia has taken longer than is necessary.
Admittedly, it attributed, in part, to the lack of political will from decision makers and resistance from some sections of society.
For instance, the MMD cabinet took more than four years just to approve the plan and one would hope that the new administration would take a different route to speed up the process.
Ordinary citizens feel that the full implementation of the decentralisation policy is not only crucial for citizenry participation, but also help in the enhancement of accountability to those holding public offices.
“I am sure if every citizen is aware about the development taking place, they will be keen to ensure that public resources are used for the greater benefit of the people,” said Frederick Banda, a resident of Lusaka.
Mr Banda, who wondered why it had taken long to implement the policy, noted that the implementation of the decentralisation policy would also achieve effective democracy.
Agnes Chaile, another resident notes that the policy would help in the fight against corruption.
“This is on the premise that a fully decentralised system of governance will enhance a democratically elected system of governance characterised by open, predictable and transparent policy making,” she said.
She, however, noted that the government had demonstrated its desire to attain a decentralised system of governance by creating more districts.
Today’s celebrations have been preceded by the Local Government week which has seen local councils exhibiting various services, district profiles, district strategic plans and infrastructure.
The Local Government week has also helped to publicise activities of local authorities, thereby enabling the public services.
More importantly, it is hoped that the African Day for Decentralisation will resuscitate interest of the public in local government matters as well as provide a platform for exchange of best practices among local authorities.
There is hardly doubt that the full implementation of the decentralisation policy will enable the citizens to take part in governmental decision-making processes.
It will certainly offer opportunities to put democracy into practice at the local level and to use public resources in a needs-oriented and efficient way that will enhance development.
Not least, decentralisation can contribute to improving the framework conditions for economic investment, thereby reducing poverty on a greater scale.
It is, therefore, hoped that as Zambia commemorates the African Day for Decentralisation, leaders will spend every effort to ensure that the implementation of the decentralisation policy is not a talk show.