Kabanshi calls chiefs to play leading role in development

Kabanshi calls chiefs to play leading role in development

Lunga, Jun 30/13, ZANIS—-Local Government and Housing Minister, Emerine Kabanshi, has called on traditional leaders to play an important role in national development.

Ms Kabanshi, who is also Luapula Constituency Member of Parliament, made the call in Lunga district during a sensitisation meeting on decentralisation.

She said government has approved the revised national decentralisation policy which recognises the important role that traditional leaders play in national development.

The minister added that government was committed to the implementation of the policy.

Ms Kabanshi said problems that some districts like Lunga were facing require government to transfer additional power and resources to such places for addressing local problems.

She said decentralisation was about local people playing a leading role in finding and implementing solutions to the challenges which affect the people.

She said the implantation of the decentralisation policy will start this year because government has also revised the Local Government ACT which, once approved, will allow for the smooth devolution of functions and resources from central government to assist the councils.

Ms Kabanshi explained that once the policy is implanted, it will enable government to attain the overall goal of improved citizen participation in local affairs.

The minister said under decentralisation, it was important for citizens to have an active and positive interest in the operations of the council.

Ms Kabanshi also appealed to councils to keep the markets and other public facilities clean.