Highlights of submissions made to the Parliamentary Committee on Energy, Water Development and Sanitation on the 2024 National Budget during our collaborative appearance with the Zambia NGO WASH Forum members that include Habitat for Humanity Zambia:
The allocation for WASH has yet again decreased from 1.4% in 2023 to 1.3% in 2024.
1,374 boreholes are going to be drilled and 1,270 are going to be rehabilitated. The government should therefore enhance community ownership and timely maintenance seeing that the number of boreholes being rehabilitated is almost the same as those being drilled.
Targets for piped water schemes has been reduced from 500 in 2023 to 428 in 2024. Government needs to invest more in water schemes as opposed to boreholes for long term sustainability.Targets for household sewer connections have been reduced from 15,000 in 2023 to 6,000 in 2024. Due to the high urbanisation rate in Zambia, there is a dire need for collaboration with local authorities to service the growing residential areas with reticulated sewer to avoid contamination of groundwater.
The budgetary allocations towards Commercial Water Utilities (CUs) has remained stagnant despite the failure of most of them to meet Service Level Agreements/Guarantees highlighted in the 2022 NWASCO Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Report. CUs have a direct interface with the communities and therefore the government needs to enhance corporate governance of these entities and enforce strict remedial measures for non-performance as their mandate has a direct impact on public health.
The 2024 budget, as with previous budgets, has remained silent on financing the 2019 Multi-Sectoral Cholera Elimination Plan. There is a dire need to have this Plan funded so that preventive and control measures are routinely put in place.
It is commendable to see the progressive increase in the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) from ZMW28.3 million in 2023 to ZMW30.6 million in 2024. Continued capacity building needs to be done at district and sub-district level to articulate WASH needs and ensure effective and transparent utilisation of the funds. Furthermore, the CDF needs to be aligned to Integrated Development Plans and Local Area Plans that provide the planning framework for developmental programs at district level.
