Secretary to Human Resources Manager

TABLE OF CONTENT

1. Research Title ……………………………………………………………………………  1
2. Problem Focusing on Independent Variable ………………….……………………….. 1
3. Justification with Independent Variable ……………………………………………….. 1
4. Research Objectives ………………………………………………………………………6
5. General Objective …………………………………………………………………………6
6. Specific objective …………………………………………………………………………..6
7. Hypothesis ………………………………………………………………………………….6
8. Methods of Data Collection ………………………………………………………………..6
9. Research Design …………………………………………………………………………….7
10.  Data Collection ……………………………………………………………………….....8
11.  Sampling Methods …………………………………………………………………...…8
12.  Simple Random Sampling ……………………………………………………………...8
13.  Purposive Sampling …………………………………………………………………….8
14.  Nature of Data …………………………………………………………………………..9

1.0  Research Title

Efforts undertaken by the Zambian government to ensure that the decentralization policy reduces problems faced by the Zambian local government system in managing solid waste: A case study of Lusaka City Council.

2.0  Problem Focusing on Independent Variable

Decentralization Policy has not been effective in reducing problems faced by the Zambian local government system in managing solid wastes.

Policy implementation in Zambia has been a challenge with many ruling governments. For instance, the Zambia government initiated the formulation of the decentralization policy document in 1995 and presented to Cabinet in 1998.  In 2002 they revised decentralization policy and it was adopted and launched 2004.  The main aim of this policy was to promote people’s participation in democratic governance at the local level, promote chiefs and other traditional leaders in governance and preservation of cultural and heritage, address the performance management systems, financing, de-concentration of functions to provinces and local authorities in support of participatory governance.  However, since its adoption, no perceptible development had been made with respect to its enactment prospective.  With this, it has initiated the researcher to evaluate the efforts undertaken by the Zambian government to ensure that the decentralization policy reduces problems faced by the Lusaka City Council in managing solid waste.

3.0 Justification with Independent Variable

Zambia has been experiencing the problem of proper management of solid waste, a situation that has resulted in drainages being clogged by the wastes, creating floods during the rainy season and water-borne disease such as cholera and typhoid.  The current solid waste management system does not provide a clear roadmap on the management of solid waste as evidenced by piles of garbage lying uncollected in many major cities.  While we appreciate that the law governing solid waste management was changed to cope up with challenges we are facing today, the system has not changed and this is still posing challenges in the implementation process (Tordoff and Young, 1994).

The Zambia Environment Management Agency (ZEMA) and the local authorities are supposed to implement the law on solid waste management yet the capacity to adequately enforce the law on waste management and implement various national solid waste management strategies remains weak.  Although the Zambia Environment Management Act and the Public Health Act provides adequate provisions in the management of garbage and the consequences thereof, the capacity to handle this piece of legislation need to be enhanced.  On the other hand, local authorities have limited capacity to deal with solid waste management since the decentralization policy was adopted in the early 2000s (World Bank, 2014).

It is common knowledge that over 50% of the waste generated is not collected, transported and disposed of in a manner that will minimize the potential negative impact of solid waste in Lusaka which continues to pile and find itself in undesignated places causing a lot of harm to the environment and the Health of the citizens.  While acknowledging the existence of the law on waste management, there is no concerted effort that has been put in place to improve on the current situation.  Public awareness and involvement is cardinal to a sustainable waste management system, which has not been involved effectively.  Therefore, using the Decentralization Policy in this case, the public needs to understand that waste management is one of the most important and expensive services that require support at all levels because when a calamity occurs it will affect everyone. Therefore, the involvement of all stakeholders is paramount in order to find lasting solutions to the problem of solid waste management.  We all generate waste every second, we are all part the problem, therefore, we must all be part of the solution by playing our civic duty of maintaining our environment clean and free from diseases.