Transparency International Zambia

SO1: Empowered people demanding for transparent and accountability and taking action against corruption - TI-Z has worked to enhance capacity of district level partners and target communities in demanding transparency and accountability on various service delivery issues that affect them. Consequently, within the 13 target districts, 92% of the 25 engaged communities have improved their capacity in demanding accountability from duty bearers on specific issues. All of the 25 communities reported increased capacity to mobilize communities, facilitate community meetings and undertake social accountability. - Resulting from the capacity enhancement interventions provided by TI-Z to its Transparency Action Groups (TAGs) on issues to do with anti-corruption, governance, local development, social accountability, articulating community voice and decentralisation, 93% (13 out of 14 TAGs) are participating in District Development Coordinating Committees (DDCCs). - Through the implementation of Service Improvement Plans (SIPs) (a service improvement monitoring tool), 93% (14 commitments out of 15) in Chinsali, 100% (14 commitments out of 14) in Chongwe of commitments in the Integrity Pacts had been successfully implemented by the service providers. - There has been an increase in the number of reported cases of suspected corruption and maladministration through the Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (ALAC), web - based platforms, phone calls as well as walk-ins. The increase was attributed to TI-Zs implementation of the whistleblowers campaign and the launch of the land portal, which significantly raised awareness and encouraged citizens to report cases. To exemplify, the number of complaints received through the ALAC increased from 15 in 2018 to 235 in 2023. SO2: Enhanced policy and legal frameworks, institutional processes and structures as well as compliance and enforcement mechanisms that promote good governance - With TI-Z support, the Zambia Police Service developed and launched their code of ethics, and their gifts and whistleblower policies. The integrity and good governance training manual also supported by TI-Z has been incorporated into the training for recruits and in-service training. By 2022, TI-Z had trained 5,380 recruits, 75 in-service trainees and 367 Integrity Committee (IC) focal persons. Further, it was established that 30.5% of the recruits and 68% of the in-service trainees indicated that they were applying the knowledge they had acquired. 97% of the IC focal persons indicated that they had been able to coordinate integrity activities in their stations to the extent that over 50% of planned activities were being implemented on an annual basis despite financial limitations. In addition, as a result, of TI-Z support, there was a reduction in the number of complaints from the public against police officers in most police stations covered by the project since July 2020. In 2022, 538 complaints were received in 9 target districts compared to 1,674 complaints received in in the same districts prior to TI-Z support. - Working with the Zambia Public Procurement Authority (ZPPA), TI-Z contributed to the promotion of open contracting in the health sector. Specifically, TI-Z supported the provision of technical assistance to procuring entities and the private sector on the electronic Government Procurement (e-GP) system. 32 procuring entities and 48 private sector institutions were trained and supported. During the end of the strategy monitoring, 70% of the trained procuring entities reported that they had transitioned to using the e-GP, out of which 35% reported having consistently uploaded annual procurement plans and calls for procurement bids on the e-GP system since 2021. 85% of private sector institutions reported improved access to procurement information in the health sector as well as enhanced participation in procurement processes in the health sector. - TI-Z facilitated the establishment of the political parties steering committee, as a political parties coordination mechanism and trained over 300 political parties representatives on political party and campaign financing best practices and engaged the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Human Rights and Governance. 56% of the trained political parties representatives affirmed the need for regulation of political party and campaign financing. A laymans model bill for political party and campaign financing was drafted. - On request from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), TI-Z provided financial and technical support towards the review and revision of the National Policy on Anti-corruption (NPAC). In December 2023, government approved the revised policy. - As part of the advocacy for the enactment of the Access to Information (ATI) Bill as per the provisions of Article 19 of the Constitution, TI-Z participated in efforts with other CSOs towards the enactment of the ATI Act. These contributions led to the enactment of the Access to Information Act in 2023. - TI-Z made 30 parliamentary submissions to National Assembly towards various institutional and legal reforms. In terms of uptake of TI-Z recommendations, TI-Z found that the respective parliamentary committees took up 56% of submissions made. SO3: Improved Environmental and Natural Resource Governance for improved livelihoods - Through the TI-Z established accountability platforms and facilitation, mining host communities demonstrated increased capacity to engage mining companies and monitor the implementation of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Resettlement Agreements (RAs) in Kasempa and Lufwanyama districts. - In Lufwanyama District, communities led by the Transparency Action Groups (TAGs) were instrumental in monitoring the resettlement agreement process including monitoring the payment of resettlement packages and the construction of houses for the affected community. The monitoring informed their engagement with the mining company, Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) as well as sensitization and feedback meetings with the affected community. As a result, commitment regarding payment of resettlement packages was honoured and the construction of houses was completed in 2023. - TI-Z enhanced community participation in benefit sharing of carbon proceeds in the target districts of Chipata, Petauke and Rufunsa districts. Resulting from the capacity enhancement support provided by TI-Z, target communities demonstrated increased knowledge on and capacity to demand transparency and accountability in benefit sharing as seen in them reclaiming their rights and negotiating with REDD private partners. Communities through the CFMGs engaged the partners (COMACO and Bio-Carbon) over the benefits due to them. As a result, all target communities received their Carbon credit funds in their respective communities, which was used for various developmental works in the communities. This is the first time we have received this money on time and this is because we were equipped with information of our rights and how to effectively engage COMACO, our request is for TI-Z to assist other communities as well Mphomwa community Member SO4: Improved capacity to manage programmes, share and disseminate quality information, knowledge and practices in the fight against corruption in coalition with local and international stakeholders. - TI-Z enhanced its capacity to disseminate simplified anti-corruption information by creating and sustaining it's digital information sharing platforms. Facebook followers grew by 48%, reaching 58,826 in 2023. Twitter saw a 77% increase, bringing its follower count to approximately 4,366. Although YouTube remained the least popular platform, it experienced the most significant growth, surging by 1760% to 186 followers by the end of 2023. TI-Z also launched LinkedIn and Instagram accounts towards the end of 2022, attracting 1,377 and 431 followers, respectively, by the end of 2023. - TI-Z enhanced publicity/visibility of its anti-corruption work and demand for responsiveness from government on specific governance issues through media engagement. This was done through issuing of press briefings and statements. One hundred and fifty-two (152) press statements were issued and shared with the public through the media and social media platforms against the target of 150. TI-Z responded to over 200 press queries from the media, which led to increased media coverage on both public and private media.

To contribute to the reduction of corruption and promotion of good governance in Zambia.