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The Zambia Institute of Chartered Accountants (ZiCA) has identified the employment of unregistered accountants in local councils as a factor contributing to the mismanagement and abuse of public funds.
ZiCA president, Yande Mwenye, emphasized the urgency of recruiting registered accountants in local authorities to improve financial oversight and integrity.
She stated that qualified and regulated accountants were essential for ensuring transparency and accountability in public fund management.
Mwenye’s comments followed revelations from the 2023 Auditor General’s report, which uncovered the misuse of Constituency Development Funds (CDF) at Lusaka City Council (LCC).
The report alleged that K5.3 million was disbursed to 373 unidentified beneficiaries.
“The CDF is a fantastic initiative that, when administered properly for its intended purpose, can alleviate poverty and drive significant development across Zambia.
“However, transparency and accountability in its application, approval, and disbursement processes are crucial,” Mwenye said.
She highlighted the importance of appointing qualified accountants, regulated by ZiCA, to administer substantial public funds responsibly and ethically.
“It is widely known that many local authority officers lack capacity in financial management, procurement procedures, compliance, and governance.
“Moreover, most councils do not have accountants registered with ZiCA,” she added.
Mwenye reiterated the institute’s earlier calls to government for the prudent use of CDF and advocated for capacity-building programmes to enhance financial management in local councils.
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