Zambia reaffirmed its commitment to decentralised governance by signing the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralisation, Local Governance, and Local Development in 2015. This commitment was further solidified in 2016 when decentralisation was formally enshrined in the Constitution of Zambia. Building on this foundation, the 2023 National Decentralisation Policy was introduced, guided by seven core principles: Good Governance, Equity, Inclusiveness, Participation, Transparency, Accountability, and Responsiveness. Central to the policy is the promotion of citizen participation in decision-making and the transparent, accountable use of public resources.
To support the effective implementation of this policy and to strengthen citizen demand for transparency and accountability in local public resource management, Transparency International Zambia (TI-Z) conducted a pilot assessment. The assessment focused on evaluating the status of implementation of the 2023 National Decentralisation Policy across ten selected districts.
Using selected indicators from four key objectives outlined in the 2023 National Decentralisation Implementation Plan, TI-Z developed a comprehensive online data collection tool incorporating both quantitative and qualitative questions. Data was collected between April and July 2025 from the following districts: Chipata, Choma, Kasama, Katete, Livingstone, Mansa, Mongu, Ndola, Petauke, and Solwezi. To assess performance, TI-Z compared district-level progress against the best-performing district, due to the absence of uniform district-level targets. Districts were ranked based on their performance under each thematic area, and a weighted average was used to determine overall performance. The findings were validated through consultative meetings with district officials and a national-level stakeholder validation session
