Zambia NGO WASH Forum Advocates for Payment of Ward Development Committees

The Zambia NGO WASH Forum has called upon Parliament to reconsider the allocation of resources by prioritizing the payment of sitting allowances to members of Ward Development Committees (WDCs) over Civil Servants.

Representing the Forum, Chama Mundia emphasized the pivotal role played by WDCs in the execution of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

She underscored the inadequacy of provisions in the CDF Bill of 2023 for sitting allowances for committee members due to the country’s constrained financial resources.

Ms. Mundia highlighted the essential functions of WDCs as defined in the Local Government Act No. 2 of 2019, lamenting the lack of monetary incentives, office spaces, and capacity hindering their effectiveness in project implementation.

Proposing financial support for WDCs, Ms. Mundia stressed the necessity of enhancing their capabilities through training in community mobilization, proposal writing, financial literacy, and monitoring and evaluation.

“The success of the CDF and the development of local communities hinge on the capacity and impact of WDCs. We urge Parliament to prioritize our proposal, ensuring the empowerment of WDCs for the betterment of all Zambians,” she asserted during the presentation of a Memorandum to the National Assembly’s Committee on Local Governance, Housing, Chiefs Affairs, and Committee on Local Government Accounts.

The issued statement was conveyed by Bubala Muyovwe Mumba, the National Coordinator of the NGO WASH Forum.