Common Cause Zambia is pleased to announce the upcoming workshops on ‘Enhancing Transparency and Accountability at community Level’ which will take place in Kitwe and Ndola starting on 14 – 18^th October, 2013.

Key conversations will include among others creating a shared understanding on the role of citizens in holding leadership accountable. Issues of transparency and accountability particularly in the management and utilization of the Constituency Development Funds (CDF), the structures and systems will be high on the agenda.  The platforms will provide an opportunity for critical insight on limitations and challenges faced by citizens in engage with governance processes.

The Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is provided by the government as stipulated by an act of parliament to support the development of the constituencies. While all 150 Constituencies in Zambia are entitled to receive CDF to fund and support local community projects yearly, research has however indicated that save for the lack of adequate legal safeguards and poor management and disbursement guidelines, communities have not benefited fully, and in most cases are not involved in planning and implementation of activities by Members of Parliament and local development committees; CDF Committees. Cases of abuse and theft of this fund have also been reported with a number of MPs being convicted over the years.

In partnership with Hivos we will be holding a series of workshops and Public Discussion Forums in Kitwe and Ndola to engage citizens on issues of enhancing transparency and accountability in their communities.

Expected outcomes are recommendations from stakeholders for consensus on the next steps, establishing community groups, establishment of community CDF monitoring groups and a commitment to work towards the recommendations.

Common Cause Zambia is aware of the dynamics of governance issues and is cognizant of the fact that this process will not be an end in itself but a process that will ignite and initiate engagement of more citizens to take keen interest in their participation in governance processes. This will require input from various stakeholders including state and non-state actors.

The work of Common Cause Zambia is generously supported by Hivos