Promoting Transparency and Accountability Workshop 2 - 3 December, 2013

Today we will commence our Workshop on ‘Promoting Transparency and Accountability in the Utilisation of Community Resources‘. The Workshop organized by Common Cause Zambia is bringing together government officials, councilors, CDF committee Members, Civil Society Organisation representatives, community based organisations, Farmers Unions, Faith based organisations and community members from Mazabuka, Magoye and surrounding districts to deliberate on the role of citizens in tracking public resources specifically the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

The Workshop provides a platform for dialogue between the custodians of the CDF and civil society to collaboratively understand how the CDF is disbursed and utilized. It is hoped that, by the end of the workshop that participants will be able to contribute to their community development efforts.

The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) was approved by Parliament in 1995 to finance Micro-community projects for Poverty reduction.

Common Cause Zambia Programs Manager

As part of their annual capital programme, each Council is mandated to include Constituency Development Funds for community based projects in the Capital Budgets. 

The Council according to the CDF guidelines of December 2006 is required to account for the funds in accordance with the law. In terms of the structures to be involved at Constituency level in the administering of CDF, The Constituency Development Committee (CDC) is mandated to receive project proposals from sub-district development structures such as Area Development Committees (ADCs), Resident Development Committees (RDCs) and representatives of stakeholders from the townships on behalf of communities as the case may be and refer to the planning Sub Committee of the District.[1] Each constituency is allotted K130 thousand Kwacha.

By providing a multi stakeholder engagement process, Common Cause Zambia is  expecting

Participants Review Agenda at the workshop

to have mutually supportive action across sectors and that transparency and accountability will prevail in the CDF process. It is also expected that the training and public discussions will facilitate an increase in civic awareness among the target beneficiaries on their civic duties and rights in observing the use of public resources at community level.  Further, participants will be Provided with necessary tools to effectively promote dialogue and interaction among communities, civil society organizations ( CSO), local councillors, traditional leaders and political parties in checking and observing the use of Constituency Development Funds.

This meeting is the second in our ‘Promoting Transparency and Accountability in the Utilisation of Community Resources ‘Series; the first was held on the Copperbelt in October, 2013.

Common Cause Zambia’s work is generously supported Hivos, Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa and Gender Based Violence Prevention Network.

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[1] Revised guidelines on the management and Utilisation of the Constituency Development Fund, December 2006