Amb. Emmanuel Mwamba writes:
The current discussion on the powers, roles and functions of; the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Town Clerk is hereby outlined.
In his Ministerial statement, Hon. Vincent Mwale gave insights to what the Constitution provided.
In Lusaka, the Mayor, Chilando Chitangala was elected by the voting population that turned up of Lusaka District and its seven constituencies while the Deputy is a councillor and elected by 31 Councillors to the position of Deputy.
Excepts;
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF
LOCAL GOVERNMENT, HON. VINCENT MWALE, MP.
ON TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR ELECTED MAYORS
AND COUNCIL CHIARPERSONS IN COUNCILS IN THE NATION
PRIOR TO
CONSTITUTION AMENDMENTS, MAYORS /COUNCIL CHAIRPERSONS WERE ELECTED AMONG THE
COUNCIL PERSONS OF
COUNCILLORS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 16 (1) (A) AND (B) OF THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT ACT CAP 281 OF THE LAWS OF ZAMBIA.
THESE PROVISIONS
STIPULATE THAT “THERE SHALL BE: (A) FOR EVERY CITY OR MUNICIPAL
COUNCIL, A MAYOR AND DEPUTY MAYOR; (B) FOR EVERY TOWNSHIP OR
DISTRICT COUNCIL, A CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN; WHO SHALL BE
PERSONS AMONG
COUNCIL FROM
THE ELECTED
COUNCILLORS”.
ARTICLE 154 (1) OF THE AMENDED CONSTITUTION STIPULATES THAT “THERE SHALL BE A MAYOR AND DEPUTY MAYOR OR COUNCIL EVERY
CHAIRPERSON N D DEPUTY COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON FOR COUNCIL, AS PRESCRIBED;
(2) A MAYOR AND COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON
SHALL BE ELECTED DIRECTLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE 47 (3) AS PRESCRIBED”. THE COUNCILLORS,
DURING
ELECTIONS FOR
AMENDMENT WAS MEANT TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION WHERE MAYORS
OR COUNCIL CHAIRPERSONS OWED THEIR INCUMBENCY TO FELLOW
Y AMENDING THE MODE UPON WHICH MAYORS AND
COUNCILLORS.
COUNCIL CHAIRPERSONS ARE USHERED INTO OFFICE OTHER TERMS OF
REFERENCE HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED.
●THE MAYOR/COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON IS THE POLITICAL HEAD OF THE COUNCIL AND THE FOLLOWING ARE
HIS/HER FUNCTIONS:
●(i) SUPERINTENDS OVER POLICY MAKING:
●(ii) ENSURES THE PREPARATION OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET AND
● IMPLEMENTATION PLAN;
●(ii) ENSURES THE PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN; AND COMMUNITY AND DISTRICT
DEVELOPMENT PLANS;
● (iv) ENSURES THE DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES;
●(v) ENSURES THE DEVELOPMENTS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ROBUST PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM;
●(vi) PROMOTES CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND PARTICIPATION; AND
●(vii) PRESIDES OVER COUNCIL MEETINGS AND CEREMONIAL FUNCTIONS.
MR. SPEAKER
●(B) FUNCTIONS SECRETARIES
AND ROLES OF TOWN CLERKS/coUNCIL
THE OFFICE OF TOWN CLERK/COUNCIL SECRETARY IS
ESTABLISHED UNDER ARTICLE 152 (4) OF THE CONSTITUTION OF ZAMBIA WHICH STIPULATES THAT “THERE SHALL BEA TOWN CLERK OR COUNCIL SECRETARY FOR EACH LOCAL AUTHORITY AND OTHER STAFF OF THE LOCAL AUTHORITY, AS PRESCRIBED”.
MR. SPEAKER THE TOWN CLERK/COUNCIL SECRETARYMR. SPEAKER THE TOWN CLERK/COUNCIL SECRETARY IS THE
PRINCIPAL OFFICER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE
COUNCIL AND THE FOLLOWING ARE HIS/HER FUNCTIONS:
●(i) MANAGES INSTITUTIONALISATION OF STRATEGIC AND
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT IN THE LOCAL AUTHORITY;
●(ii) OVERSEES THE INITIATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
POLICIES, FUNCTIONS AND PROGRAMMES:
●(ii) OVERSEES PROVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND
LOGISTICAL SUPPORT SERVICES:
●(iv) PROVIDES ADVICE, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SECRETARIAL SERVICES TO THE COUNCIL AND ITS COMMITTEES;
●(v) OVERSEES PUBLIC RELATIONS FUNCTIONS; (vi) OVERSEES THE INITIATION AND PROVISION OF PUBLIC
SERVICES;
●(vii) OVERSEES THE IMPLEMENTATION OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCE MOBILIZATION SYSTEMS AND STRATEGIES;
●(viii) OVERSEES THE ELECTION OF DEPUTY MAYORS AND CHIEFS TO THE COUNCIL: AND
●(ix) CONDUCTS STATUTORY FUNCTIONS DELEGATED TO THE OFFICE UNDER THE VARIOUS PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
MR, SPEAKER AS STATED EARLIER, DESPITE THE AMENDMENTS TO
THE CONSTITUTION, THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE FUNCTIONS AND ROLES OF MAYORS,COUNCIL CHAIRPERSONS VIS À-VIS TOWN CLERKS/COUNCIL SECRETARIES OTHER THAN THE MANNER IN WHICH THE MAYORS/COUNCIL CHAIRPERSONS ARE ELECTED INTO OFFICE.
MR, SPEAKER
C) REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS/INTERFACE
This article isn’t well structured and it’s NOT making sense at ALL!!
What exactly are you trying to say. Clearly we are all aware of those provisions in the act. What I see is that you were attempting to legitimize the mayor’s action and frown upon the deputy mayor’s position over your party’s request to clean the CBD.
Emmanuel Mwamba always trying to portray himself as a knowledgeable man, but in reality a very useless deceptive character. He is trying to create the impression that the Mayor is mandated to make unilateral decisions on issues that require the consent of the full council.
Secondly, Mwamba thinks the Acting Clerk and Deputy Mayor were not aware that there is the issue of legitimacy of office bearers of the PF at the Registrar of Societies office. As things stand, Nakachinda is not PF secretary general.