The legal framework for the decentralised system of government in Zambia

This dissertation is a study of the legal frame-work for the integrated and decentralised system of government in Zambia. The term decentralised government as used in this study, decentralization the system of local administration at provincial and district levels, which was instituted in 1981, in place of local government in Zambia.
This dissertation is divided into seven chapters. Chapter One outlines the purpose of the study, as an enquiry into the • objectives of decentralisation in Zambia0 Chapter One also gives the scope of the study, and the methods of data collection used in the study
Chapter Two defines the concept of decentralisation,, It discus the theorectical approaches to decentralisation,, Finally, the chapter outlines the historical context in which decentralisation has emerged in Zambia.
Chapter Three discusses the Zambian governments post independence objectives in social and economic development, in the period between 19&4 an<i 1983« The chapter does not pretend to give a comprehensive economic analysis of these objectives0 It discus these objectives in the context of the study to show how the said objectives influenced the set up of district and provincial administrative or institutional structures.
The set up of provincial and district administrative structures that were adapted to ^co-ordinate the implementation of the government's social and economic objectives is examined in

Chapter Four,, This chapter also discusses the suitability of the said institutional and administrative structures in co-ordinating the implementation of the governmentls social and economic objectives. It argues that this institutional and administrative structure was centralised, and therefore unsuitable to efficiently co-ordinate development efforts.
Chapter Five describes the Local Administration Act, 1980 as the legal framework for effecting decentralisation in Zambia.
Chapter Six critically evaluates the Local Administration Act, 19800 Attention is focussed on the main objectives of the Act, namely, integration and decentralisation.
Chapter Seven is a conclusion. It brings out the theme that the underlying motive for decentralisation on in Zambia is largely political, rather than economic. It offers some suggestions and recommendations for reforming the legal framework for Zambia's decentralised system of government.