Tuesday, March 3rd 2026
Mufumbwe Councillors yesterday joined 1,858 of their peers from across the nation at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
This historic national engagement, hosted by Republican President Mr Hakainde Hichilema, marked the first time in the country’s history that a sitting Head of State convened with councillors from all 116 local authorities and all ten provinces in a single venue to deliberate on service delivery and local development.
Under the President’s inclusive and consultative leadership approach, the conference aimed to bridge the gap between central government and community leadership.
President Hichilema emphasized that local authorities are the true backbone of service delivery, as they oversee the essential infrastructure that impacts daily life, including markets, feeder roads, schools, clinics, water systems, and early childhood learning centers. He made it clear that councils are central, not secondary, to the national development agenda.
A major highlight of the engagement was the President’s reaffirmation of the government’s commitment to devolving more power to the people. Building on the thirteen functions already transferred from central government, the Head of State announced that additional functions will be shifted to local authorities to ensure decisions are made closer to the citizens they affect.
He assured the gathered leaders that this decentralization is being backed by both increased financial resources and robust operational support.
The President also pointed to the radical transformation of the Constituency Development Fund as evidence of this commitment. He noted that CDF has seen an unprecedented increase from K1.6 million to K40 million per constituency annually.
This funding is being equitably distributed across all 156 constituencies to support vital community-driven initiatives such as the construction of classroom blocks, procurement of desks, bursaries for vulnerable learners, and the establishment of much-needed maternity wings.
While celebrating the expanded mandate and the historic influx of resources now available to local councils, President Hichilema concluded the engagement with a firm call for strengthened accountability.
He urged the councillors to match this increased support with responsible leadership, ensuring that every kwacha is utilized effectively to improve development outcomes at the community level.
MTC PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT
