The paper focuses on the extent of stakeholder participation in budget making process at the local government. In the context of the study, the term stakeholder mean persons, institutions, organizations and groups of people who have direct or indirect interest in the budgeting process at any or all levels of the governance’s structure and activities thereof. The paper provides an analysis on the practicality of stakeholder participation or simply participatory budgeting in the local government system in Zambia using Kabwe Municipal Council as case study. An analysis of the challenges that the Government at the level of local government faces in its quest to incorporate participatory budgeting at the local level is also presented.
The direction of the paper focuses mainly on the general assessment of the conditions for effective participatory budgeting and its impact on the stakeholder community. Kabwe Municipal Council was ideally suitable for the study as the first pilot council to have practiced participatory budgeting in Zambia. The primary focus in the Kabwe Municipal Council case study is on the extent to which stakeholder participation is promoted in the budgeting process by measuring the extent against the conditions for effective participation in the budgetary process as advocated by Wampler (2000) in his “A Guide to Participatory Budgeting” paper. This is done to inform the researcher on appropriate conditions that need to exist at the local level to ensure effective implementation of participatory budgeting in Zambia.
The paper brings to light the notion of participatory budgeting as an on-going process that is linked to elements of direct and indirect democracy. It further proves that the concept does not reach its finality but is always developing as a step-by-step institutionalization of stakeholder participation in the budgeting process at the local level. The paper proves most of the participatory budgeting process in Kabwe Municipal Council to be in line with most of the pre-conditions of Wampler.The potential of participatory budgeting in Zambia is proved to be very much feasible but heavily depended on the political drive by the Government in power. The paper emphasizes facilitation of the immediate implementation of the Decentralization policy by Government as a precinct for participatory budgeting as it embraces most of the tenets of stakeholder participation in the budgeting process at the local government level.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Stakeholder Participation
- Statement of the Problem
- Objectives of the Study
- Study Methodology
- Review of Literature
- Budgeting Concept
- Participation Concept
- Participatory Budgeting Definitions
- Participation in the Budgetary Process
- Key Stakeholders in Participatory Budgeting
- Types of Participation in the Budgeting Process
- Originality of Practical Participatory Budgeting
- Zambia Local Government System
- Village Productivity Committees and Ward Development Committees
- One Party Participatory Democracy
- Multi-Party Democracy
- Provisions of the Local Government Act of 1991
- Case study of Participatory Budgeting in Kabwe Municipal Council
- Situation Analysis
- Administrative Structure
- Local Government Budget Process
- Participatory Budgeting Implementation Activities
- Formation of Zones and Resident Development Committees
- Initiation of Participatory Budgeting Process
- Stakeholder Consultation
- Informative Sessions and Meetings
- Findings and Comments
- Challenges and Lessons Learnt
- Options for Government
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the extent of stakeholder participation in the local government budgeting process in Zambia, using Kabwe Municipal Council as a case study. It analyzes the practicality of participatory budgeting at the local level and identifies the challenges faced by the government in implementing this approach.
- The practicality of participatory budgeting in the local government system in Zambia.
- Challenges faced by the government in implementing participatory budgeting at the local level.
- Conditions for effective participatory budgeting and its impact on the stakeholder community.
- The extent to which stakeholder participation is promoted in the budgeting process at Kabwe Municipal Council.
- The potential of participatory budgeting in Zambia.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter sets the stage for the research, defining stakeholder participation, stating the problem, outlining the study's objectives, and describing the methodology.
- Review of Literature: This chapter explores the concepts of budgeting and participation, defining participatory budgeting, and discussing different types of participation in the budgetary process. It also examines key stakeholders involved in participatory budgeting and discusses the originality of practical participatory budgeting.
- Zambia Local Government System: This chapter provides an overview of the Zambian local government system, examining the roles of village productivity committees, ward development committees, and the impact of different political systems on participatory democracy.
- Case study of Participatory Budgeting in Kabwe Municipal Council: This chapter presents a detailed case study of participatory budgeting in Kabwe Municipal Council. It analyzes the situation, administrative structure, and the local government budget process, focusing on the implementation of participatory budgeting activities, including the formation of zones and committees, consultation processes, meetings, and findings. It also explores the challenges and lessons learned from this experience.
- Options for Government: This chapter offers recommendations and strategies for the government to promote and facilitate participatory budgeting in Zambia.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Participatory Budgeting, Stakeholder Participation, Local Government Budgeting, Zambia, Kabwe Municipal Council, Decentralization Policy, Village Productivity Committees, Ward Development Committees, Resident Development Committees, Direct Democracy, Indirect Democracy, Wampler's Guide to Participatory Budgeting.
- Quote paper
- Stephen Gumboh (Author), 2012, Practicality of Stakeholder Participation in the Local Government Budgeting System in Zambia, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/231335
