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Former Luanshya Mayor, Nathan Chanda, has opposed proposals to remove term limits for mayors and reinstate Members of Parliament (MPs) in council chambers, saying such changes would undermine decentralisation.
Chanda was reacting to government’s proposed constitutional amendment roadmap, which includes controversial changes to the structure of local governance.
In a statement on Tuesday, Chanda said there was need for wider consultation before amending provisions related to local authorities, particularly the proposal to bring MPs back into councils.
“This would defeat the spirit of decentralisation, which clearly separates the roles and responsibilities of MPs and civic leaders,” he said.
He claimed that some MPs were pushing for a return to councils mainly to gain more influence over the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), not to enhance local governance.
“MPs are lawmakers. Civic leaders are implementers through local authority structures. The roles must remain distinct,” he stated.
Chanda also called for urgent harmonisation of roles between Mayors or Council Chairpersons, Town Clerks, and District Commissioners, arguing that overlapping functions create confusion and inefficiencies.
He noted that Mayors and Council Chairpersons were now directly elected by the people under Article 47(1) of the Constitution, and their roles must be redefined as executive, not ceremonial.
“Mayors and Chairpersons, established under Article 154 of the 2016 amended Constitution, should be executives. They derive their mandate from the people, not councillors,” he said.
Chanda added that strengthening the mayoral office would improve service delivery and uphold democratic accountability at the local level.
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