Nkombo declares 45 district councils ratable areas to boost revenue generation

Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Gary Nkombo, has declared 45 district councils as ratable areas through a Statutory Order, a significant move aimed at enhancing their revenue generation capacity and service delivery.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Lusaka, Nkombo announced that a Statutory Order had been approved to declare all 116 local authorities as rating authorities.

This development allows the 45 previously lagging councils to independently prepare valuation rolls and levy property taxes under the Rating Act No. 21 of 2018.

“This milestone ensures that the 45 councils, which had been non-rating, can now generate their own revenue, improving service delivery within their districts,” Nkombo stated.

He explained that under Section 6(1) of the Rating Act, the Minister is mandated to declare a district ratable once it is established and a council formed.

However, despite the creation of new districts and local authorities over the years, only 71 of the 116 councils had previously been classified as rating authorities.

“This meant that only 71 local authorities were authorized to prepare valuation rolls and present revenue budgets to the rating valuation tribunal, leaving non-rating authorities excluded,” Nkombo said.

He said that the new directive would enable all councils to present independent budgets to the tribunal, thereby broadening their revenue base and empowering them to fulfill their mandates.

The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to services across the country, underscoring the importance of strengthening local authorities to serve communities effectively.

“This is a step forward in realizing our vision to build robust and self-sustaining local governance structures that benefit all citizens,” he added.

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