Councillors should be paid a salary-LGAZ

The Local Government Association of Zambia has charged that elected Councillors, like other public officers like judges should be paid a salary and not an allowance.LGAZ President Christopher Kang’ombe said the Association is hopeful that an appropriate amount will be agreed upon as a Councillors’ salary and not the current monthly allowance of K 700 which does not motivate the ward leaders.

Mr Kang’ombe has however condemned the threats by some Councillors to shun the ongoing orientation meetings because of grievances over conditions of service.

“We wish to put on record that there is no need for our hardworking Councillors to threaten or actually shun the recently rolled out orientation programme by the Ministry of Local government in conjunction with LGAZ. As an association we have done the following to present Councillors genuine concerns to the higher authorities,” he said.

Mr Kang’ombe said LGAZ held an informal meeting with President Edgar Lungu and a Consultative meeting with the Local Government Service Commission and another consultative meeting with the Local Government Minister Vincent Mwale, MP and informal another meeting with Vice President Inonge Wina in Ndola to discuss plight of Councillors.

“We are certain that from the above steps taken and the pending meetings, Councillors conditions of service will be improved soon,” he said.

And on the issue of whether Councillors are part time workers, Mr Kang’ombe stated that according to Article 155 of the Constitution, it refers to a Councillors as the frontline leader and it is in him/her that the local people see government making a councillor to be in a state of perpetual political duty as he/she has to attend to all aspects of political and civic governance in the ward which makes it difficult for a Councillor to be part-time.

“A Councillor is also a mediator in that he/she works with residents in the ward to identify and examine problems and determine strategies to meet them and make appropriate recommendations to the council. As a community leader, a Councillor motivates and inspires the community by fostering collective effort aimed at making local people become self-sustaining. Again, this can’t be a part time responsibility,” he said.

Mr Kang’ombe said under the devolved system of governance, a Councillor has assumed added responsibilities and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Ward Development Committee (WDC) adding that this cannot be on a part time.

“A Councillor, a Mayor/ Council chairperson and Member of Parliament are all elected on the same day and given a same five-year mandate. In the United Kingdom, from whom Zambia has inherited the local government system, a councillor is no longer regarded as a voluntary worker but as a salaried political/civic official. This situation obtains in South Africa, Botswana and Kenya.”