Lusaka Mayor Calls for Strengthening Fiscal Space, Commends ECA Collaboration
Lusaka Mayor, Her Worship Ms. Chilando Chitangala, has lauded the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) for their efforts in assisting the Lusaka City Council (LCC) in improving and strengthening its fiscal space through the implementation of the Development Account Project (DA).
This initiative aims to optimise various revenue streams and enhance financial management capabilities.
During a meeting with representatives from the ECA, UN-Habitat, and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), Mayor Chitangala highlighted the challenges faced by the LCC, including the manual collection of revenue, outdated data capturing tools, and ineffective zoning modalities.
These issues, she noted, have significantly impeded revenue collection, straining effective and inclusive service delivery.
The Mayor expressed concern over the income loss experienced by the local authority due to the lack of enforcement of laws and reliance on manual systems.
She emphasised the need for modern, efficient revenue collection tools to optimise the council’s fee collection from various services.
In her remarks, Mayor Chitangala praised the ECA and its partners for fostering an environment that encourages knowledge exchange and learning through the DA project.
She advocated for exchange programmes among the participating cities – Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Kigali, Dar es Salaam, Yaoundé, and Lusaka – to facilitate continued learning and the sharing of best practices.
Expressing a keen interest in participating in the DA-Technical Working Group Inception Meeting at the Lusaka City Council Civic Centre, the Mayor cited Addis Ababa as a model for inclusivity, sustainability, and development.
Ms. Atkeyelsh Persson, the ECA delegation lead, thanked Mayor Chitangala for her insights into the challenges faced by the LCC.
She noted that these shared lessons would inform the meeting’s discussions and enhance further deliberations.
The DA project, a three-year initiative, focuses on enhancing financial management capabilities, adopting innovative fiscal policies and reforms, and improving fiscal collaboration between city and national governments.
