As part of government’s drive to modernise service delivery, strengthen accountability, and empower citizens through accessible governance, the e-Government Division of Zambia, SMART Zambia Institute, has handed over ICT equipment to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD).
The official handover, hosted in Lusaka this week, indicates progress in the country’s quest to embrace digital transformation and go paperless.
In June the government exhibited its paperless system at the Ministry of Health headquarters, aimed at improving service delivery through technology, managing massive amounts of data, and saving the government millions of dollars in stationery costs.
According to the SMART Zambia institute, the equipment- worth approximately $379,000 (9 million Kwacha), includes 1,780 laptops and 220 desktops, is expected to empower 116 local authorities with the means to deliver efficient, transparent, and citizen-focused services.
The equipment will also improve access to digital platforms such as the Constituency Development Fund Management Information System.
SMART Zambia highlighted that the delivery of technology aligns with the government’s commitment to enforce the Electronic Government Act No. 41 of 2021, which aims to build a digitally enabled and inclusive public service.
The ministry noted that the government has already devolved 13 functions from central government to local authorities.
Additional rollout is expected to extend to Zambia Postal Services, district administration offices, and provincial monitoring and evaluation teams, bringing the total amount of equipment distributed to 2,000 units nationwide.
Speaking at the hand-over ceremony, SMART Zambia national coordinator, Percy Chinyama, said it is crucial for the nation’s ministries to ensure that there are budgets for resources that enable digitisation.
“A number of our projects, and we have learnt now have not been successful because of that final cherry, which is the tools. We are hoping that from how we have communicated with our colleagues in the other ministries, going forward ministries will ensure that there are budgets for tools. It’s one thing to digitise, (but)if the tools are not there, it could be a waste of resources.”
The equipment will expand development across Zambia, especially in rural areas, aligning with President Hakainde Hichilema's vision to improve living standards, said Nicholas Phiri, permanent secretary of technical services at MLGRD.
He commented: “The MLGRD stands ready to work under the one government policy in order for us to deliver on the vision of the president that development should be felt across the country, especially in rural areas.”
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