Salutations
- The Permanent Secretary – Technical Services, Ministry of Local Government and
- Rural Development;
- Representatives from Government Ministries and Local Authorities;
- Representatives from GIZ and the European Union Delegation in Zambia
- Representatives from other Cooperating Partners;
- Representatives from Civil Society Organisations;
- Members of the Media, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Good morning. It is my great honour and privilege, on behalf of Transparency International Zambia and indeed on my own behalf, to welcome you all to this important occasion, the official launch of the Pilot Assessment Report on the Implementation of the 2023 National Decentralisation Policy, and the unveiling of the LocalLens Online Portal.
Today marks a significant milestone in our collective journey towards effective decentralisation and improved service delivery in Zambia. This event is not merely about launching a report or a digital platform – it is about reaffirming our shared commitment to transparency, accountability, and citizen empowerment at the local level, in a bid to enhance the decentralisation agenda in our country.
Allow me to begin by expressing our sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the Decentralisation Secretariat, and our partners at GIZ and the EU, for their unwavering support to this work throughout this project. I also wish to thank the Local Authorities in the ten districts that participated in the study, and the dedicated members of our Transparency Action Groups, who helped gather the data on the basis of which this report has been written.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2023 National Decentralisation Policy is a bold and transformative framework in Zambia’s governance structure. It seeks to bring governance closer to the people, enhance local development, and ensure that public resources are managed with integrity and accountability, and for the ultimate benefit of ordinary citizens.
As you will see from our presentation later, our pilot assessment, conducted across ten districts, focused on three key themes:
- Decentralised Governance – where we saw the strongest performance, with an average implementation rate of 66%.
- Fiscal Decentralisation – with an average implementation rate of 57%, highlighting both progress and persistent challenges in financial systems and capacity; and
- Policy Coordination – which recorded a 58% implementation rate, pointing to the need for stronger communication, monitoring, and institutional alignment.
The overall average implementation rate across the ten districts was 60%. While this shows commendable progress, it also underscores the need for continued investment in systems, skills, and citizen engagement in order to achieve the objectives of the decentralisation agenda at local level.
As you read the report, you will also see the recommendations we are making, which I now summarise into three broad areas:
- Accelerating the deployment of digital financial management systems;
- Strengthening partnerships for awareness and capacity building; and
- Enhancing coordination between national and district-level actors.
Later this morning, you will hear more about these findings from our research team, and you will also witness the live demonstration of the LocalLens Portal – a powerful tool designed to make decentralisation data more accessible, transparent, and actionable for citizens and stakeholders alike.
As we begin today’s programme, I invite you all to engage actively, share your insights, and reflect on how we can collectively advance the goals of decentralisation in Zambia. Let us work together to make decentralisation real, responsive, and results-driven.
Once again, I warmly welcome you all and thank you for being part of this important moment.
I thank you.