The Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) has reiterated its unwavering commitment to enhancing accountability and professionalism across Zambia’s 116 local authorities, as part of broader efforts to improve service delivery and the implementation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Speaking during a joint press briefing held in Lusaka, LGSC Chairperson Mr. Ackson Sejani in the company of Permanent Secretary -Technical Services Mr. Nicholas Phiri, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, stressed that the Commission and the Ministry is closely monitoring operations in all councils and will not tolerate inefficiency, misconduct, or mediocrity.
“The Commission is fully aware of what is happening across the country. We are not turning a blind eye to underperformance. Officers must deliver,” Mr. Sejani said.
He revealed that the Commission has introduced performance contracts for Principal Officers and rolled out an annual staff appraisal system aimed at making council officials more accountable to the public. These measures, he said, are already yielding results adding that so far 8 Principal Officers have since been demoted.
“Several officers have been promoted on merit, while others have faced demotion or dismissal due to poor performance or misconduct,” he said. “To be specific, seven Principal Officers were demoted following a recent appraisal.”
Mr. Sejani also highlighted reforms aimed at fast-tracking CDF project implementation. Among the changes is the delegation of project approval powers to Provincial Local Government Officers to reduce bureaucratic delays.
“In addition, the Ministry has directed that all completed CDF projects must be commissioned within 60 days. This is to ensure communities begin benefiting from these investments without unnecessary delays,” he added.
Concluding his remarks, the Chairperson called on all public officers to serve with integrity and professionalism.
“The Zambian people deserve nothing less,” Mr. Sejani stated firmly, before opening the floor for questions.
The Commission and the Ministry’s latest moves come as part of an intensified push to strengthen decentralization and ensure efficient public service delivery at the grassroots.
