CDF GUIDELINES TO BE SIMPLIFIED
CONSTITUENCY Development Fund (CDF) guidelines to be simplified to enable constituencies make decisions over CDF utilisation with minimal approval from Lusaka, says Finance and National Planning Minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane.
This entails DEVOLUTION as provided for in the National Decentralization Policy (NDP). Devolution is the legal transfer of responsibilities, power and resources from the centre/capital to the periphery/grassroot.
Truly, the New Dawn is here. The grassroots now have Local Autonomy, the freedom to make own decisions pertaining to matters affecting them (at the periphery) as opposed to almost everything being decided upon from the centre (Lusaka).
Zambia launched her NDP in 2004 with the aim of empowering local communities by devolving decision making authority, functions and resources from the centre to the lowest level with matching resources in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of services.
It is inspiring to see President Hakainde Hichilema and the UPND Government move towards implementing seriously the NDP, eighteen years after its launch. This is something which previous Presidents and Governments failed to do. Many like the previous regime preferred money being at the centre so that they loot it freely.
(C) THE FALCON