Vision

“A Strong National Voice and Advocate for Local Government”

Mission

“To protect and promote the interests and autonomy of local authorities in Zambia”

Objectives

To promote the interests and autonomy of local government authorities in Zambia;

To be the national advocate and voice of local government;
To contribute towards the enhancement of local democracy and governance;

To study questions concerning the life and activities of local government authorities and the welfare of citizens;

To promote the idea of popular participation in civic affairs.

Activities

To organize seminars, workshops or courses on local government;

To organize conferences and meetings;

To maintain a permanent office for the collation, documentation, study and dissemination of information for the benefit of local government in Zambia;

To make recommendations to government and to participate in the formulation and revision of government policies and legislation affecting the governance and management of local government authorities in Zambia;

To provide research and other advisory services and facilities to members in general and specifically on request;

To maintain a proper working relationship between constituent local authorities and the employees’ representative trade union;

To encourage and facilitate Municipal International Cooperation (MIC);

To carry out all other lawful activities for the furtherance of the objectives of the Association.

Guiding Principles

Client Centeredness

Participatory

Working in Partnerships

Committed to Quality Performance

Dedicated to Financial Integrity and Cost Effectiveness

Unity in Diversity

Inspired and Innovative

Membership

Membership of the Association is open to those who subscribe to the fundamental principles of democratic local self-government and to the objectives of the Association. Currently, there are three categories of membership which are:

Full membership

This is open, upon application, to all categories of local authorities in Zambia, concerned with the management of local affairs. Currently, all local government authorities in Zambia are members of the Association.

Associate Membership

This is open, upon application, to the following entities provided that they are concerned with or share common objectives with those of the Association:
Organisations
Institutions
Other bodies involved in and/or concerned with local government matters
Individual persons with interest in local government affairs and not in employment in any of the mentioned categories of members;
Supporting or contributing members such as private enterprises, foundations and other organisations interested in local government.

Honorary Membership

This is extended to persons who have rendered distinguished and conspicuous service towards the improvement of local government in Zambia.

Governing Bodies

The governing bodies of the Association are the Annual Conference, the Executive Committee, Provincial Committees and the Presidency.

The Annual Conference is the supreme policy making organ of the Association comprising the President, Vice Presidents, Honorary Treasurer, Provincial Coordinators and representatives from all the local authorities.

The Executive Committee ensures implementation of the objectives, policies and decisions of LGAZ generally as directed by the Annual Conference.

It terms of composition, this includes the President, the Provincial Vice Presidents, the Hon. Treasurer, the Provincial Coordinators, two representatives each from City and Municipal Councils and two representatives each from two District Councils from each province (on rotational basis).

The Presidency comprises the President, Provincial Vice Presidents and Honorary Treasurer. The Presidency makes policy decisions between meetings of the Annual Conference and the Executive Committee on matters that cannot reasonably wait for the next meetings of the Annual Conference and the Executive Committee within the policy guidelines of the Association’s Constitution.

The Provincial Committee exercises powers assigned to it by the Annual Conference through the Executive Committee and deals with matters necessary in the smooth running of the Association at provincial level. Members of the Provincial Committee are the Provincial Vice President, the Provincial Vice Chairperson, the Provincial Coordinator, the Vice Provincial Coordinator, the Provincial Honorary Treasurer, Chairpersons and Secretaries of Sub-Committees, two representatives each from constituent local authorities in the province and the Executive Secretary or his/her representative as ex-officio member.

It is at this level that the five sub – committees of the Association operate which are:

Finance and Economic Sub-Committee

Law, Research and Human Resources Sub-Committee

Environment, Health, Social Services, Gender and HIV/AIDS Sub-Committee

Engineering and Fire Services Sub-Committee

Development Planning Sub-Committee

Sub Committees consider and make recommendations on all matters relating to their respective subject matter. Each sub- committee comprises of representatives from all councils in respective Provinces made up as follows:

A Chairperson elected by the Provincial Committee from amongst serving Councilors from paid up Constituent Member Councils;

Members from the relevant professions related to the Sub-Committee from all paid up constituent Member Councils in the Province;

The Provincial Coordinator as ex-official member.

The Annual Conference, Executive Committee and Presidency are chaired by the President while the Provincial Committees are chaired by Provincial Vice Presidents with sub-committee Chairpersons chairing their respective sub-committees. These bodies are serviced by a full-time Secretariat, Provincial Coordinators and Secretaries of sub-committees.

Secretariat 

The Annual Conference, Executive Committee and the Presidency are serviced by a full time secretariat comprising the Executive Secretary/CEO, Programme Officer, Information Officer, Finance and Accounts Officer and the Research and Development Officer. Further, there is an Officer Assistant and the Driver. From time to time, the Association also benefits from Cooperating Partner’s Technical Support usually through secondment of an Advisor based on the needs on the ground.

The Provincial Committees are serviced by Provincial Coordinators while Sub Committees are serviced by Officers on a part time basis from respective Provinces.

Benefits

Being a member of the Association has the following benefits:

Belonging to a countrywide network which is giving a voice and visibility to local government in Zambia;
Having an opportunity to influence government policies and programmes at local and national levels;
Contributing to and/or benefiting from the Association programmes and events.

Finance

The Association derives its finances from membership fees, income from activities, grants, donations, loans etc. The fiscal year of the Association is January 1st to December 31st. The Executive Committee appoints Auditors every year to audit books of accounts for the Association.

    Networks

The Association has established relations, links and networks with international organisations that pursue similar goals and objectives in developing and strengthening local self-government. Currently, the Association is a member of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) which focuses on local democracy in the Commonwealth member countries. It works to represent a collective voice for local government as well as to promote and strengthen democratic local government and service delivery across the Commonwealth and to encourage the exchange of best practices.

The Association is also a member of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) through the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA) a world organisation of local governments which seeks to strengthen local governments, improve local democracy and governance and promote co-operation and consultation among local communities throughout the world. In addition, the Association maintains relations with various National Associations of Local Government in and outside Africa.