THE e–BRAIN FORUM OF ZAMBIA

Report of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Local Government

Workshop.

Theme: “ICTs for Sustainability: Can Local Councils Build Capacity for Change”

Held on 23rd –24th January 2004, Andrews Motel,

Lusaka, Zambia

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CONTENTS PAGE

1. Background …………………………………………… 1

2. Workshop Proceedings………………………..…. …. 2

3. Official Opening…………………………………..…… 3

4. Aims and Objectives of e-Brain……………….……… 4

5. Definition of e-Governance…………………….…….. 4

6. Benefits of e-Governance…………………………….. 5

7. Dangers of e-Governance……………………….…… 6

8. ICT Situation in Zambia……………….…....………… 8

9. IT……………………………………………………….. 9

10. Other ICTs……………………………………………. 9

11. IT Utilisation……………………………………………9

12. LLC e-Governance Report……………………………. 12

13. ICT for All ...………………………………………….. 13

14. ICT Draft Policy ………………………………………. 14

15. Discussion Groups……………………………………. 14

16. Recommendations…………………………………… 16

17. Conclusion……………………………………….…… 17

Appendices

a. Workshop Evaluation………………………………… 18

b. List of Attendants…………………………...……….. 20

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1. BACKGROUND

The e-Brain Forum of Zambia hosted a conference for selected local authorities to disseminate findings of a survey on the Electronic Distance Training on Sustainability in African Local Governments (EDITOSIA) at Andrews Motel in Lusaka from 23 to 24 January, 2004.

The EDITOSIA report is an analysis of the current use of ICTs, accessibility, application and conditions in African local governments with specific reference to Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia. It also forecasts accessibility and applications of ICTs in the same region.

The Particular objectives of the conference were to discuss the findings of the report with local government practitioners and to show case and discuss results of the e-governance/UNESCO Project. The conference also aimed at developing awareness on the potential of ICTs for development in local authorities and to initiate partnership for the development of appropriate feasible e-training programmes for the local government

2. WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS

The workshop was chaired by e-Brain Chairperson Moses Mwale who, in welcoming the guests and introducing the guest of honour, explained that while the workshop could be thought of being about sharing ICT resources or about software and hardware, it was more importantly about people.

He said ICTs in Local government were about people of Zambia sharing a common vision of how the tools and products commonly referred to as ICTs can be used to stimulate development through initiatives of people in local councils.

Mr. Mwale gave a brief background of how the conference came into being saying it was from a realisation that the dissemination of the 2002 survey in local government needed a meeting with the stakeholders; the policy makers and technocrats in local government. He said there was also need to find a synergy among the different efforts working in the areas of local government and ICTs.

He observed that computer software, a component of ICTs, permeates every thing done by human beings today, adding that the Internet has changed, and is continuing to change the world more than anything else.

Mr. Mwale reminded participants that the conference was not a mere talk shop as there were activities that he hoped would produce concrete, follow-up action. He said the Electronic Distance Training on Sustainability in African local governments (EDITOSIA) project was awaiting the outcomes of the conference on the use of local councils as focal points for distance learning.

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3. OFFICIAL OPENING

The Minister of Local Government and Housing, Ms. Sylvia Masebo officially opened the ICT in Local Government Conference. She observed that it was gratifying to note that it had to take a non-governmental organisation to spearhead such an important initiative in support of government efforts in the direction of ICTs.

Mrs Masebo said that such partnerships needed to be enhanced for the benefit of the entire society. She was of the view that the efforts of the participants and organisers would improve service delivery and good governance through enhanced transparency, democratisation, effective partnerships and networking between and among civic leaders, communities, other government departments and donors.

Mrs. Masebo noted that ideas from the workshop could filter into parliamentary debates especially in regard to the local government ministry funding portfolio, since the workshop was taking place when the parliamentary debates had just commenced.

Mrs. Masebo said she took cognisance of the collaborative role e-brain was playing with government in publicising the launched draft national ICT policy. She described the partnership as progressive and hoped that it would provide immense impetus for meaningful inputs from participating civic leaders and that their contributions would filter back into the operations of their respective local authorities.

She said that the aspirations of e-Brain Forum were in line with part of the mandate of the government articulated and implemented through the ministry of Transport and communications.

She said that the decentralisation policy was primarily aimed at capacitating the local authorities with adequate resources for managing functions such as education, health and maintaining law and order. She said that as such the effective use and efficient application of ICTs was a priority.

She implored participants to act as district champions of ICTs in the local governance process and related developmental purposes. She also cautioned participants that any local authority that did not rise to the challenge of the dynamics of the ‘Information Age’ would remain stagnant in their developmental efforts.

She said no one could avert ICTs as they keep advancing and would be constantly accelerating the dissemination of the fruits of the Global Village. She added that globalisation did not wait for people that are slow in coping with ICTs phenomena as the phenomena dictated that one has to either move at tandem or lag behind.

Mrs Masebo added, government was prepared to take up the challenge of providing some of the required resources vis-à-vis qualified human resources and other pertinent facilities in the advancement of ICTs.

4. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF e-BRAIN FORUM

The e-Brain Forum Coordinator Mr. Margree Chilwesa explained the objectives and aims of e-Brain Forum. He said it began in 2001 in order to foster networking and contribute to the setting of ICT on the national agenda for development.

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He said its principle objective was to contribute to the improvement of the quality of life through effective and efficient USE of ICT in the Sharing Best Practices through Information Networking.” e-Brain Forum aims at empowering its members and those concerned about the status of ICT use in Zambia by sharing ideas and best practices through networking.

He said the Forum would lobby, advocate and influence ICT policy formulation at macro level [Government] and at the micro level [private enterprise and new business development] The Forum aims at an increase in the membership to over 80 organisations and institutions. Currently, the Forum has 105 individual members and less than 10 institutional members country- wide.

5. DEFINITION OF E-GOVERNANCE

Dr. Fackson Banda, Director of Panos, Southern Africa, presented a paper entitled ‘e-Governance in Zambia: toward better public service delivery.’

Dr. Banda broadly defined e-Governance as a ‘digitalisation of government service delivery mechanisms.’ He said e-Government was not about supplanting what exists and completely replacing it with new forms of government organisation, but that it was about technological enhancement and /or realigning of existing government systems of service delivery.

Dr. Banda, who dwelled more on service delivery mechanisms, said some people view e-government as the application of information Technology to the processes of government functioning to bring about simple, moral, accountable, responsive and transparent governance. Dr. Banda amplified this view as denoting that e-governance makes possible the attainment of good governance ideals such as simplicity of service delivery, morality and integrity in the public sector as well as accountability, responsiveness and transparency in the discharge of public goods and services.

He said that the third view of e-governance held that it is the application of electronic means or tools in two distinct arenas of government performances, which are the interaction between government and citizens as well as between government and business; and the internal government operations to simplify and improve the democratic, governmental and business aspects of governance.

In summing his definition of e-governance, Dr Banda said it is ‘an electronic interactive public sphere in which the governors and the governed effectively and efficiently clinch deals about public goods and services. He said it was an electronic de-bureaucratising of the traditional governmental systems of delivering public goods and services.

5.1. BENEFITS OF e-GOVERNANCE

Dr. Banda outlined three possible benefits of e-governance as: De-bureaucratisation and simplification of government processes and procedures, realigning and integrating governmental processes into the global information society and trust and confidence in public institutions.

On de-bureaucratising of local government, Dr Banda said that existing rigid governmental structures and process that tend to inhibit the speedy delivery of goods and services can be eliminated and replaced by a speedy and more efficient electronic system.

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On realigning governmental processes into the global information society, he said the Internet was one service the government could use to reach even Zambians living in foreign lands. He said by the use of the Internet, such Zambians could engage in local politics and could thus be entitled to the provisions of public services such as renewals of passports, voting, investment opportunities and visa applications.

On trust and confidence, Dr. Banda said the use of electronic technologies could help make government more open and accessible thus creating trust between government and the citizens. He said by putting information about policies, programs and services online, the government would be more transparent. He said the trust would help citizens to appreciate the challenges government faced and that it would encourage public officials to make decisions in a manner that would withstand public scrutiny.

5.2. DANGERS OF e-GOVERNANCE

Dr Banda also outlined the problems generally associated with ICTs and e-governance. He said there were two basic schools of thought on the dangers of ICTs namely; the liberal critique that maintains that information society should be the outcome of an informed democratic process and that as long as people are alert to the dangers of ICTs, development would be appropriate and beneficial socially. And the Luddite critique, which says that although technology itself is neutral, it is in the hands of and is controlled by people and groups whose primary interest is to make money and not the possible social good of ICTs.

Dr. Banda further said ICT has three more classes of problems namely, Operational (technical and economic); contextual (social-culture characteristics of each region); and strategic (local, national and international policy)

He said operational problems include lack of technical efficiency of power plants, the low quality of the African electricity network and the inaccessibility of transmission channels, such as satellites. In particular to Zambia is the lack of technical skills among the majority of citizens to apply ICTs to their own individual realms especially to apply them for appropriating any online governmental services. Such lack of skills means that it would be difficult to service and maintain the new technologies that would make e-government possible.

Dr. Banda explained that contextual problems are those being occasioned by the fear that the transfer of Western technology only leads to economic and cultural dependency. He said there were also the unintended consequences of laying off people that are computer illiterate from the ministries, especially if the cost of retraining them is not justifiable.

Strategic problems are those that occur largely as a result of some telecommunications trans-national companies whose business interests may go against the national-development aspirations of countries in Africa.

Dr. Banda concluded by suggesting that government should establish a clear vision of how it wishes to evolve as an institution, and how it will harness technology to the next generation of government operations, programs and services. He said e-governance should not be based on determinism and that the vision must be captured in a statement of government priorities and that change initiatives should be harnessed together.

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6. ICT SITUATION IN ZAMBIA

Mr. Milner Makuni, the Vice chairperson of the Computer Society of Zambia, when he presented a paper answered the question, ‘can local councils build capacity for change’ in the affirmative.

Mr Makuni gave a graphic and numerical description of the ICT situation in Zambia. He said the regulatory function of ICT was in the hands of the Communications authority that falls under the Ministry of transport and Communications and has the jurisdiction mainly in the telecommunications industry. It also regulates the licensing and use of the radio frequency spectrum in the broadcasting industry for both radio and Television transmission.

He explained the role of the Independent Broadcasting Authority, which he said has the jurisdiction to regulate the operations in the broadcasting industry

He said cabinet had approved the Cyber Bill. He said the cyber bill was concerned with Internet security, Privacy, data protection, digital frauds and hacking controls etc

On Telecommunications, Mr. Makuni said that Zamtel was the only licensed operator allowed to provide fixed telephone services to the public. Current coverage included all districts except Kaputa and Sesheke, which were not connected to network via a domestic satellite system. He said there were approximately 96,000 main lines in operation or more and a telephone density of 0.93 lines per hundred populations.

On Mobile phones, Mr. Makuni said there were three operators in the Cellular market using Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications technology namely Celtel, Cell Z and Telecel. Services provided included standard voice and added value services such as SMS and Voice mail.

He said there were approximately 270,000 Cellular subscribers in Zambia.

On the National ICT infrastructure backbone Mr. Makuni said Copperbelt Energy Corporation had installed a 24-core 520km optical Fibre backbone on the Copperbelt covering all mining towns and that Zesco had a 45KM optical fibre cable between Lusaka and Kafue.

He said that Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation was the major player in the broadcasting industry operating a television and three radio stations. (Radio 1 transmitting in seven Zambian languages; Radio 2 and 4 only in English).

ZNBC TV covered 35 per cent of Zambia’s land space and reaches 45 per cent of the population. Quality of signals required significant improvement in locations far away from provincial headquarters.

He said four Private investors had been licensed to operate TV broadcasting services in Lusaka and Copperbelt. Two more TV operators were Trinity Broadcasting Network and Cable Satellite Techonology (CASAT) and Multichoice Zambia ltd.

He enumerated Radio broadcasting stations as: Yatsani, Radio Maria, Radio Chikuni, Radio Chikaya, Radio Liseli and radio Chengelo owned by the Catholic Church.

He mentioned others as Christian Voice, Radio Phoenix FM, Radio Choice FM, Sky FM, and Radio Breeze, 5-FM, QFM and other community Radio stations that included Radio Mazabuka, Radio Dove, Radio Lyambai, Hone FM and Radio Mano.

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On the field of human resources development and training, Mr. Makuni said ICT Skilled Manpower had seen a brain drain mostly to neighbouring countries. He said there had been no formal study on ICT literacy and professional skill levels conducted but that gaps were showing in IT Software developers, Local content developers, professional broadcasters and Telecommunication engineer experts.

Mr Makuni numbered ICT training providers as: University of Zambia, Copperbelt University, Zambia Centre for Accountancy Studies (ZCAS), Zambia Insurance Business Trust (ZIBC), Zambia Institute of Management Trust (ZAMIM), National Imports and Exports Corporation (NIEC) School of Business, National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), Evelyn Hone College,, UNZA Cisco Academy, Millennium training centre (Microsoft certification centre), and Zamtel Staff training College.

He said eleven Secondary Schools offered Computer Studies and examinations were conducted by Examinations Council of Zambia at grade Twelve level. There was no official curriculum for ICT in primary and secondary Schools.

He said more secondary schools were benefiting from donated Computers from abroad and later schoolnet had been revived.

6.1. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES (IT)

On information Technologies, he said that there were in Zambia more than 100-registered computer firms and their activities centred mainly on:Computer and software sales, Computer Software and Hardware Maintenance services, Computer Vendor based training, Computer hardware Warranty Centres, Computer hardware, software and networking distributors (wholesalers to computer firms), Computer networking (LAN and WAN), Software Development, IT Consultancy Firms, Internet Service Providers, and Computer Consumables like Toner and Ink Cartridges and Ribbons.

He however said less than ten were certified to offer hardware, software and IT solutions from manufactures of hardware and software.

He said Zambia imported both Hardware (100%) and Software (99%) and duty for software and printer consumables were 25 per cent while printers, computers and other peripheral devices were 15 per cent. 17.5 per cent Value Added Tax was charged on all IT products.

He said Zambia had five Internet Service Providers and gave an estimate of paying customers for Internet and email services as follows:

There were about 7,500 paying customers and they broke down as follows:* Zamnet 3,500* Coppernet 1,800* Zamtel 1,500

* There were new companies like Micro link and UUNet which had subscribers in hundreds. He said Internet Café Charged from K1, 500.00 for 15 Minutes for use of Internet.He estimated that there were about 40,000 Internet users and categorized them as: Commercial, Academic, Research, NGO, /UN/ International Government Others (personal emails etc)

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He said there were no local content on the Internet and no website was in local languages.

6.2. OTHER ICTs

Mr Makuni outlined other information communication technologies as follows:1. Postal Services-ZAMPOST had the largest network of post offices around the Country.

Others were Post net, DHL, Federal Express (FEDEX) and Sky net.

2. Print Media Service-Daily newspapers included “Times of Zambia, Daily Mail and The Post

3. Library Services-Public Libraries were not well stocked with latest books and other reading materials. American centre and British Council had better library facilities.

The Ministry of Education operated the largest number of libraries through Zambia Library services.

On non-governmental organisation and ICTs, Mr. Makuni said there had been a remarkable ICT awareness and campaigns although they were concentrated on the line of rail.

Prominent NGOs with strong ICT advocacy included e-Brain, Computer Society of Zambia, PANOS, “Youth Forum”, Zambia Association for Research and Development (ZARD) and One World.

6.3. UTILISATION OF IT

Quasi Govt Companies- ZAMTEL was upgrading its network from analogue to digital and increasing capacity, Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) had continued in its project for customs and is highly computerised. ZESCO had started implementing the Business Information System and expanding in telecommunication services.

Private firms- Kamikanga Copper Mine (KCM), Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC), Mopani and other mining firms were highly computerised. International banks had a number of ATM machines, on line services through Wide Area Networks mainly using VSAT.

Government;- Ministry of Education had a Metropolitan Area Network through Radio link and an Education Management System, Ministry of Communication and Transport had a Motor Vehicle Licensing system, Passport office under the Ministry of Home affairs was expanding its network to provinces. Ministry of Commerce had a database for Companies records; Ministry of Health through a project by RTI had connected Township clinics in Lusaka to UTH through a Wireless Metropolitan Area Network using open source Software and Network devices. Zambia National Tourist Board (ZNTB) and Zambia Investment centre had websites. Lusaka City IT Project and GIS,

Electronic-commerce; Celpay had introduced paying for goods and services using a cellular phone. Zambian Companies were facing competition from firms outside Zambia utilizing e-commerce. Vehicle purchases from Japan were one example. There were Zambian Companies that were also exporting goods through the Internet

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Mr. Makuni said that on the whole, ICTs in Zambia were concentrated only on the line of rail leaving rural areas undeveloped. The Transitional National Development Plan (TNDP) had not yet recognized ICT as a vehicle to sustainable development and hoped through the ICT Policy that would be reversed. There was need to coordinate and harmonize all the fragmented effort in private, public and government in ICTs.

7. LCC E-GOVERNANCE PROJECT

Mr Mwansa Sambo, Evaluation assistant director, at Lusaka City Council gave a background of the LCCs e-governance project, what it was all about, the specific goals and the project results.

Mr.Sambo said that the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) conceived the Lusaka City Council e-governance project. He said it was part of the global pursuit to promote efficient and transparent governance in Africa. The initiative was started on a pilot basis in five selected African Municipalities.

Other benefiting municipalities included Niamey in Niger, Maputo in Mozambique, Zanzibar in Tanzania, and Bamako in Mali.

The Project, which started in 2001, was to be implemented in two main phases. By then, phase one had been completed. The 1st phase involved the creation of basic ICT infrastructure within the civic centre, looking at local area networks and the Internet. The second phase was an expansion of the network to extend to ‘city wards’ (grassroots levels)

Mr. Sambo said the main aim of the project was to bring the operations of public institutions closer to the people they served and to reinforce the culture of information free-flow between the two parties.

He said African Municipalities and others from elsewhere were ubiquitously perceived as heavy bureaucratic structures with unclear procedures and processes for dealing with requests from residents.

He said that people generally perceived that services that should be provided as a whole were often fragmented, and councils lacked organizational structures with which to deal effectively with outstanding issues.

That citizen often had to visit different departments or sections, before being satisfied about the service they require, which may be an overwhelming experience for those unfamiliar with the organizational terrain.

That organisation of local authorities was geared to suiting the needs and interests of officers rather than those of the public they purported to serve AND that Local government officers, the information providers of the authority, often lacked the necessary information with which to communicate to members of the public in an appropriate manner.

Mr. Sambo added that African municipalities had been said to function in isolation and therefore did not benefit from the experiences and best practices of sister municipalities within the country or within the region.

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He said that despite those deeply lodged perceptions, it was hoped that through the use of ICTs, a change of mindset among citizens would occur.

The project was referred to as a “pilot project” in that it was meant to serve as a “testing ground” for the use of ICTs in local governance in Africa.

He said the specific objectives of the project was to improve the capacity of selected African municipalities to access information required for decision-making and to communicate more effectively with citizens and public services;

The results of the project were that LCC had installed and functioned electronic information system at all five municipalities and that all the seven departments of LCC were interconnected through a local area network.

He said modern information and communication applications, especially pilot Web and multi-media based governance applications had been developed and tested in the cooperating municipalities and that there was now an Electronic provision of municipal information to the public.

Mr. Sambo said that as a result of the project, a number of trained municipal staff members were ICT users and that though there were no actual statistics to show for it, LCC members of staff were generally conversant with the use of computers and more so able to use internet-related features.

He said there existence a municipal public information centre (hotline service) and a presence of at least one trained network administrator in all municipalities.

He said there was a multimedia training package on Intranet and Internet applications for municipalities with examples and demonstration material on African information resources and solutions.

He said Interactive forum and participatory Web sites were established by cooperating national and municipal officials and civil society groups and that there was participation of all municipalities in the African municipalities network.

He however said that the project benefactor drew up the project plan without the LCC’s involvement. As such, priority was placed on non-critical areas as opposed to the council’s perceived needs.

Mr. Sambo said that during the early part of 2003, lightning struck the core equipment causing substantial loss. As a result, money that could have gone into procuring other project necessities was channelled into replacing the damaged equipment.

He concluded by saying that even though e-governance had the potential to change the way local authorities delivered services, the use of ICTs was not the magic “cure-all” for mending the government-citizen relationship.

It was envisaged however that the technology would help further public opinion on local authorities in the information era.

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8. ICT IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT: FINDINGS OF THE EDITOSIA REPORT IN ZAMBIA

The e-Brain Forum of Zambia Chairperson- Moses Mwale delivered the key paper of the conference, which looked at the status of Information and Communication Technologies [ICT] in Zambia. The report documents findings from a survey conducted between October and December 2002.

In his presentation, Mr. Mwale highlighted the following:

Zambia has an installed capacity of 139,000 telephone lines on the Public Switched Telephone Network;

13,000 lines on the Rural Radio Telephone; and 110,000 mobile phone subscribers; and Internet users remained at 7,500 by mid- 2002.

Put another way, Zambia’s tele-density is only 1.8, meaning that less than two [2] phones are available for 100 people. This status condemns the majority of Zambians to lack of access to communication.

Mr. Mwale further stated that Zambia currently does not have a National ICT Policy. However, now there is an initiative to put the policy in place with a Zero draft of the ICT Policy launched and in circulation for comments by stakeholders.

He then took the conference through the entire Editosia report findings. The situation on the ground was found worrying especially in view of the new information order and the shift in the world towards an information society.

8.1. Telephone Costs for Internet Access.

Area(Province)

Cost Tel/ Hour To ISPPOP

Average Monthly Cost of60 Hours online

Lusaka, Copperbelt, Livingstone Local Access $0.7 /hr $21.00 Eastern - Chipata $16.2 $486.00 I Western - mongu $16.2 $486.00 I North Western - Solwezi, $12.15 $364.50

f Kabompo, Zambezi $16.20 $486.00 Luapula - Mansa, $6.08 $182.40Kawambwa $12.15 $364.50 Northern - Kasama, $12.15 $486.00Mbala/Mpulungu $16.20 $486.00 Southern - Choma $6.08 $182.40

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8.2. Level of ICT in Local Government

There was overwhelming desire by all councils to focus on the following:

Create long term interregional linkages and partnerships; Encourage dialogue and exchange good practices and experiences within the countries

and among local authorities and local government associations; Improve communication, information sharing and networking as well as mutual learning

between all levels of agencies involved in local government; Bring local government into the mainstream of national development; Build capacity at

all levels of local government.

Service delivery, roles and responsibilities of the local councils were being affected by:

Inadequate funding; Interference (political); Structures at local level; Capacity of local authorities (human, capital and institutional); Dependence on the centre; Lack of autonomy affects service delivery; Quality of service dependent on ability to raise funds; Issue of poverty (national); Increased responsibility with decentralisation.

8.3. Computer Equipment Available at Districts

Only 76.9% of the sampled districts have computer equipment, compared with the 80.8% of the sampled districts that had telephone facilities. An average of 14 computers per district was recorded as being available in the sampled districts.

The majority of the computers were less than 3 years old and were therefore multimedia ready, i.e. had CD-ROM drives and speakers.

8.4. Level of Access of Computer Equipment by Staff

4.8% of staff in the local councils in the sampled districts have access to computers. The majority of these are secretarial and accounting staff. It is not easy to have access to the available computers as they were specifically allocated to the functional staff for which the computers were provided. These are mostly secretaries. In some cases, the District Planning Unit can at a limited level allow some staff from other departments. No district has successfully set up computer facilities for education purposes or as part of the library service as provided in the Local Government Act.

8.5. Availability and Use of Application Software

All councils surveyed, except for Lusaka, Mufulira and Ndola, were not using application packages. They mostly use Microsoft office products and about 80% used MS word for documents and basic planning tasks using Excel.

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8.6. Availability of Local Area Network (LAN)

Three districts (representing 12.3 % ) have LAN. These are the districts in urban areas where application of computers has extended to revenue collection and billing feeding into the accounting databank.

8.7. Access to Telephone and/or Internet /e-mail

80.8% of the sampled districts have access to telephone facilities. Mostly, these are using fixed lines. Very few use mobile phones. The service providers are only in urban areas, whereas the Zambia Telecommunication Limited, a telecomm company has its presence in all except one district. No district uses communication radios. About 50% of the telephones were not working as they had been disconnected for non-payment of usage fees.

30.8% have access to the Internet although the majority of the available Internet access was in the "bosses' offices", which meant that staff were limited in access to the Internet facilities.

8.8. ICT Skills Base

The skills base for word processing is available in all districts and sufficient for the average target users. It was noted that in all sampled districts, computers are used mainly for word processing. Only 4 districts (16.6%) have skills in database management systems. There is no skills base at all in basic computer maintenance in all districts. All districts outsource maintenance of the equipment, in some cases from as far away as 700 km.

Concluding his presentation, Mr Mwale noted that although ICTs in general are promising to improve learning, the availability, use and skills base in ICT within Zambian local government is too low to make use of most of the innovative possibilities of ICT for distance training. Especially, development of fixed infrastructure (telephone and leased lines) is too slow to incorporate into future project planning scenarios. Furthermore, telephone infrastructure is unreliable, because of unreliability and/or unavailability.

Use of CD-ROMs and educational radio programmes are seen as feasible. The survey paid attention to radio, but most probably the respondents did not understand the issue (mixing up communication radio and normal receivers). Therefore the outcome of data concerning radio cannot be used. Radio penetration in Zambia is said to be more than 98%. Web-based training is not a feasible option, only possible when organized centrally in Lusaka.

Many projects in local governments in Zambia result in failure because of financial organization. When an ICT -project is set up, it should be organized separately from existing local government organizational structures to avoid that money being used to do other things (paying salaries for example).

The role of the existing libraries is seen as a perfect starting point for introducing and using ICTs for learning and for bringing actors in the region together and to find common solutions.

[See the Full Text of the Report, which is appended]

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9. ICT FOR ALL

Mr. Brian Mulenga representing Next Technology outlined the vision of Next Technologies to connect the poor and the underprivileged to ICTs for them to participate fully in governance as well as access education and information.

Mr Mulenga said that 10 per cent of Zambians in rural areas had never made a phone call hence the need to make this tool available to them.

Mr Mulenga said Next Technology aimed at developing ICTs that are better suited for Zambian people like websites whose contents are in local languages. He said Zamtel, Zesco, Celtel, Telecel and CEC fibre optic rings should reach all provinces and connect every one on the line of rail.

He said there were possible ways of connecting the people through the technology available off the shelf like Wireless, internet, thin clients, solar, voice over IP, consolidated and Wifi hotspots. Mr. Mulenga said that these technologies were available, cheaper, required low maintenance cost, efficient and could cover a radius of about 50 kilometres. He said ICTs were of great benefit to government, the community and the economy at large as it enabled participation, improved education and communication, efficient information dissemination and provided for the low communication cost.

He said application of ICTs enhanced agriculture, health, civic education, communication E-governance, E- commerce-learning and community news. He said next technology provided Demo systems which covered E-learning, community, health, local government and central government.

10. ICT DRAFT POLICY

Mr. Victor Mbumwae of the Ministry of Communication presented a paper entitled ‘ICT Policy: Does it contribute to improved local government administration?”

Mr. Mbumwae distributed an abridged version of the ICT draft policy to all local authorities present. He described the ICT policy as the intention of the nation in the ICT sector saying it reflects national aspirations and perspectives. He said it was based on broad-stakeholder consultations.

Mr. Mbumwae explained that the ICT policy was implemented by the ministry of communications and spanned over the short, medium and long terms planning periods. He said ICTs were supportive of other national programmes or/and projects, the constitution, developmental plans, regional and global treaties.

He said every Zambia would benefit because the policy would direct local and foreign investment, promote accessible products and services and enhance people’s daily needs and activities.

Mr. Mbumwae said that the next phase of the ministry on the ICT policy was stakeholder consultation. He said this would involve identifying stakeholders such as the civil society, private sector, public sector, professional bodies, academia, communities and individuals.

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The development of partnerships would take the form of involving partners in dissemination of draft policy, sensitisation and awareness programmes. It would mean involving partners in the review and refinement of the draft ICT policy.

The mode of stakeholder consultation would be through media, public lectures, workshops and seminars, targeted stakeholder meetings, peer reviews by other ministries, cooperating partners, regional and international bodies.

11.1. DISCUSSION GROUPS

On the second day of the conference, participants broke into four discussion groups with the first one composed of Provincial Local government officials, the second one made up of Municipal Councils, the third one of District councils while the fourth group comprised City Councils.

Each group was given five questions similar to those given to other groups as:1. What ICTs were available in Provincial Local government offices?2. How they rated staff accessibility to ICTs3. How they were organising their management4. Where they were experiencing bottlenecks in their operations 5. In the ICT policy what were their priorities6. How their plans were linked to the Transitional national development plan (TNDP)7. What were their priorities in addressing the bottlenecks?

11.1.1. Provincial Local Government Group

The group on provincial Local government officers on answering What ICTs were available in PLGO offices said, computers and telephones were available in their offices but that such computers were acquired from projects. They explained that they had no policy in place on the acquisition and maintenance of computers.

On how they rate staff access to ICTs, they said there was no transport to facilitate communication and have 100 percent access to land phones.

On how they organised their management, they said those in Lusaka and eastern province needed to establish information services vis-à-vis management information.

They said they experienced bottlenecks as they lacked computers, access to internet and funding, and that funding in the local councils were too minimal falling in the range of 1 to 3 million.

Their priorities in addressing such bottlenecks is by acquiring computers by the end of 2004, improve on funding and further training of ICT.

They said their plans were well linked to the national development plan (TNDP).

They said their priority in the ICT policy was to improve on the infrastructure in the council, train staff and the standardization of computer application.

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11.1.2. Municipal councils

In answering question one; they said they had ICTs like computers, fax machine radio and televisions. Walk-talkie and Internet were only available in three councils. On how they rated staff accessibility, they said they had phone variations between 10-80 percent and computers, radio and fax machine only at 10 per cent.

On Organising management, they said they mainly organised their management manually but some councils were computerised.

On difficulties in their operations they said they lacked skilled personnel, equipment, and technological adaptation and had financial constraints. And that they needed land allocation, staff records, licensing, salary and wages.

On priorities regarding ICTs, they wanted creation of databases, broadening revenue bases and partnerships.

On Linkages to the TNDP, they said they linked and planned through council budget and project proposal.

On addressing such bottlenecks, they said they wanted to make ICTs affordable, develop staff training and make ICT accessibility mandatory and gender balanced.

11.1.3. City Councils

On what ICTs were available:- they said councils had computers but that they use computers mainly for word processing.

On staff accessibility:- very few workers had access to computers.

On management organisation:- faced difficulties due to staff incapacities in information system.

In answering where they were facing bottlenecks in their operations, they said they had few staff with the knowledge of ICTs.

On what were their priorities in the ICT policy:- they did not know the contents of the ICT policy and suggested that councils should have been involved in the drafting of the policy.

On the TNDP, participants said they were linked through the district situation analysis and through the establishment of the district poverty reduction strategy.

On their priorities in addressing the bottlenecks, they suggested that there should be established tele-centres and linkages among institutions dealing in ICTs like Zamtel and E-brain.

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11.1.4. District councils

On the availability of ICTs District councils said they do not have computers but only access computers through Zamsif and that there were no experts due to lack of electricity.

On how they rated staff accessibility, they said very few people knew how to use the computer with councils like Milenge only having one person who knew how to operate a computer.

On organising management, they said they depended on internal memorandums and management committee reports, departmental staff and regular systems.

On where they experienced bottlenecks, they said they had low staff skills in ICT, and that managers were not properly informed, there were inadequate GIS and other relevant technologies.

12. WAY FORWARD AND RECOMMENDATIONS

On the way forward on the ICTs and local government, it was recommended that The ministry of Local government should spearhead the fight to secure a specific allocation from the national budget for Local government ICT programs and that councils should define clear projects that include purchasing of computers.

It was also recommended that councils should Network and form partnership among themselves so as to present a united front in resource mobilisation and that councils should first do institutional audits on their own needs before dashing to seek assistance form donors.

It was further recommended that councils should change their service delivery attitudes and that the Ministry of information should be involved in the ICT policy.

Participants recommended that e-Brain Forum should assist local authorities in sourcing computers and that there should be follow-up workshops involving the same participants other than inviting new people each time. It was also recommended that Councils should aim at acquiring at least one computer each year.

It was observed that while the Zambia Social Investment Fund (ZAMSIF) was doing a commendable effort in other projects, it was found not to be a reliable source of computers and that government should be prepared to assume this role.

13. CONCLUSION:

The outcome of the two -day interactions with the city fathers and their chief officers was beneficial. It afforded them the opportunity to interact as councils and map up strategies for their involvement in ICT crusade. However, the fundamental conclusion is the challenge that faces Zambia in its quest for better service delivery to its people.

It is therefore not farfetched to state that, lack of ICT capacity in councils may delay good service delivery, and therefore imperative that the Government begins to seriously address the issue. The e-Brain Forum of Zambia will lend its support through organizing ICT workshops at district level with councils.

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Appendix 1

a. Workshop Evaluation

Participants were given an evaluation form were they were asked six questions on how they rated the workshop, how they found the motel facilities, the food, the general content of the workshop, how they rated presenters, and the material used in the workshop.

In all, 32 participants responded to all the questions as follows:

1. How did you find the motel facilities?a. Excellent- 4b. Good- 23c. Poor- 3d. Very poor-1

2. How did you find the food?a. Excellent-0b. Good-26c. Poor- 4d. Very poor-1

3. How did you find the general content of the workshop?a. Very Useful-7b. Useful-20c. Fair-3d. Not Fair-2

4. How do you rate presenters for the workshop?a. Very Useful- 10b. Useful- 22c. Not clear-0d. Poor-0

5. How did you find the material used in the workshop?a. Very Useful-9b. Useful-12- c. Fair-7d. Not Fair-4

6. How did you find the workshop generally?a. Well organised-4b. Poorly organised-12c. Okay-16

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Two main complaints were raised on the evaluation questionnaire:1. Most respondents complained of not being given transport refund and workshop allowances2. Respondents complained of unclear communication and the shortness of notice of the workshop

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Appendix 2

b. List of Attendants

Name Council Designation1 Hamwende Mpande Kawambwa Council Secretary2 Christopher Kanyanta Kawambwa Council Treasurer3 Allan Chibu Mandevu Millenge Council Secretary4 Chisenga K Kabaso Solwezi A/SLGO5 Bernard Siwakwi Chipta Town Clerk6 Lamsdeen Zulu Choma A/Town Clerk7 Alex Bwalya Chipata PLGA8 Samutumwa Mwapela Mongu Town Clerk9 B M Muuka Mongu Mayor10 F Mwape Kapiri Mposhi11 Malambo M Mainza Kazungula Council Secretary12 Brian Mulenga Lusaka13 Afred Shipanuka Chongwe Council Chairman14 Patrick Chirwa Chipata Mayor15 F.M Nasilele Chongwe D/Council Secretary16 Bonaventure Siantumbu Chadiza DPO for A/ C S17 Orleans Nfune Lundazi DPO for A/CS18 Keziya Musanje Choma Mayor19 B Chilemalema Kasama Town Clerk20 Erof Hangoma Mazabuka D/A21 Terry Mwinga Mazabuka Mayor22 E M Musosha Mansa Mayor23 Chisenga Hamson Ndola Mayor24 James Nshimba Mkushi Council Chairman25 Raf Phiri Mkushi Council Secretary26 R T Mtonga Kabwe Mayor27 D A Phiri Kitwe28 SC Muwele Kalomo Council Chairman29 AC Mungulu Kalomo Council Secretary30 Fred Banda Chiengi Council Secretary31 C S Kandundu Kabwe Town Clerk32 Emmanuel Banda Kabwe SLGA33 Patrick Tembo Kitwe Mayor34 I Muuka Kitwe A/ Town Clerk35 N Ngilishi Masaiti Council Secretary36 Johnson Shindano Kasempa Council Secretary37 Makungu E C Ndola Director of administration38 Jimmy Chulu Lusaka39 Lizzie Makayi Kambompo Council Secretary40 Chris Mutti Kabompo Chairman

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41 Gabriel Mwansa Lusaka Ass/HRA42 Mwansa Sambo Lusaka Ass. Director Evaluation43 Phiri Raphael Mkushi Council Secretary44 E.C. Chilombo Mansa

Resource Persons

Name Organisation Position Role1 Fackson Banda PANOS Director Presenter

Daniel Phiri Copperbelt University

2 Victor Mbumwae Comm. Authority

Presenter

3 Milner Makuni Comp. Society V/President Presenter/Session Chair4 Pricilla Jere One World Coordinator Session Chair5 L.D Nyirenda UNZA6 Brian Mulenga Next Technology Presenter7 Moses Mwale e-Brain National

chairOrganiser/Presenter/Session Chair

8 Margree Chilwesa e-Brain Coordinator Organiser/Presenter/Session Chair

9 Mwala Sheba e-Brain10 Grace Zozi e-Brain11 Charles Banda e-Brain12 Edwin Zulu e-Brain13 Chipo Mhalnga e-Brain14 Alex Museshyo e-Brain15 Lloyd Himaambo MIND Chairperson Rapportuer16 Taza Tembo MIND Member Rapportuer17 Catherine Phiri MIIND Member Rapportuer18 Chishaba Masengu ZAMCOM Reporter Reporting19 Vincent Chanda ZAMCOM Reporter Reporting20 Nkole Chitala Daily Mail Reporter Reporting21 Violet Mengo- Daily Mail Reporter Reporting

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