Matambo leans towards autonomy for councils

City, district and town councils have long clamoured for greater budget autonomy, arguing that the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development was insensitive to the needs at grassroots level and the peculiarities between districts.

At a budget pitso for local authorities on Monday, Matambo appeared to lean towards greater independence for the councils, in his response to their appeals for autonomy. “We have to maintain our infrastructure and therefore we need to empower local authorities,” he said. “They should be able to find sources of revenues.”  Matambo concurred with various speakers who stressed the need to come up with better solutions to the economy, by involving local authorities in its diversification. Francistown Mayor, Sylvia Muzila, said her council was able to generate revenue but the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning did not have faith in the local authority to deliver.