Zambia's local administration act, 1980: A critical appraisal of the integration objective
| Published date | 01 August 1992 |
| Date | 01 August 1992 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/pad.4230120303 |
| Author | Royson M. Mukwena |
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT, VOL. 12,237-247 (1992)
Zambia’s Local Administration Act,
1980:
a critical appraisal
of
the integration objective
ROYSON M. MUKWENA
University
of
Zambia
SUMMARY
In 1980 administrative reforms were announced in Zambia which aimed at integrating the
party, central government departments, and local authorities. Over 10 years have now elapsed
since the announcement of the reforms and to date the envisaged integration has not been
realized. The problems and prospects
of
the envisaged integration are examined. Integration
has not been possible due to lack of a formula for it. It is not possible‘in
an
atmosphere
where the District Council operates without
a
Development Plan whilst the various central
government departments and agencies follow their own plans. The real aim
of
the integration
was to revive the demoralized and ineffective UNIP organization at grass-roots level.
The
dysfunctions
of
political control in the Zambian context are examined. What local councils,
central government departments and parastatals require is coordination and not integration
with the party or an increase in political control. The reintroduction of multi-partyism has
improved the prospects for this development.
OBJECTIVES
OF
THE LOCAL ADMINISTRATION ACT,
1980
The Local Administration Act
1980
(passed in December
1980
and taking effect
on
1
January
1981)
has three principal objectives. The first is the desire
of
the United
National Independence Party (UNIP) and the government to decentralize power
to the people to enable them to take part in the decisions that affect their destiny.
The District Council is expected ‘to ensure that the administration
of
the district
is carried out in such a manner as to achieve decentralization and the transfer
of
power’ (Republic of Zambia,
1980,
p.
127).
The second objective is that
of
creating
District Councils as ‘front-liners’ in the development process. The District Council
is expected ‘to formulate
.
.
.long-term and short-term development programmes’
(Republic of Zambia,
1980,
p.
127).
The third objective is ‘to ensure an effective
integration
of
the primary organs
of
the party and other organs
of
local administration
in the district’ (Republic
of
Zambia,
1980,
p.
127).
The rationale behind the integ-
ration
of
the party and other organs
of
local administration into one body (the
District Council) was to escape the problems of lack
of
coordination and duplication
of
efforts and resources that characterized local administration before
1981.
It is
this third objective which is the subject
of
this discussion.
Mr. Mukwena is a Lecturer in
the
Department
of
Political and Administrative Studies, University
of
Zambia, P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
027
1-2075/92/030237-11$05.50
0
1992 by John Wiley
&
Sons, Ltd.
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