Fostering Accountability and Transparency (FACT) in Zambia

The program is a 5-year initiative with a budget of $5.9 million, funded by the USAID Global Civil Society Leader with Associates Award. The program began on September 30, 2014, and will conclude on September 29, 2019. The program activities fall within two objectives: Objective 1, which focuses on strengthening the capacity of local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to enhance delivery and oversight of public service delivery in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods, and environment sectors; and Objective 2, which aims to improve engagement between citizens and government service providers in the same sectors to improve service delivery. In the first quarter of FY16, the program completed several ongoing processes, including the awarding and grant implementation of sub-grants to five local CSOs. These CSOs were tasked with enhancing delivery and oversight of public service delivery in the specified sectors. Additionally, the program conducted trainings to assist CSO partners in understanding accountability and transparency in service delivery, social accountability for service delivery, civic engagement, community mobilization, and other important methodologies. Reinforcing cross-sectoral advocacy networks and coalitions is a key component of the FACT project. In FY16 Q1, the program began addressing this task by developing a Request for Applications (RFA) aimed at locating and offering sub-grants to CSO networks and/or coalitions with significant experience in national-level networking and advocacy. Two of the program's partners, TALC and ZOCS, also contributed by holding various meetings to meet other stakeholders and establish networks. The program engaged in numerous meetings with government officials and civil society organizations to gauge the level of interest and commitment from the government towards active participation in the improvement of service delivery in Zambia. This will be an ongoing dialogue that guarantees opportunities for government to become involved in the program's mission. In terms of FY16 indicators, the program has already met three of its indicators and is well on its way towards meeting the target for another three of its FY16 indicators. The economic situation in Zambia remains a challenge, with inflation increasing to beyond 20% in December 2015. The kwacha has slightly improved against major international currencies in the last weeks of 2015, but the cost of delivering services and household expenditures are expected to continue to increase. Food and non-food items are expected to continue to increase in price, with estimates suggesting a 19.5% increase from November 2014 to November 2015. The power crisis continues to be a major factor at the domestic level and negatively impacts the economy and the delivery of services. A delayed start to the 2015-16 rainy season, attributed to the effects of El Nino, threatens agricultural production as well as the continued low water levels at the dams used for hydroelectric electricity generation. The economic situation has been compromised by the increase in electricity tariffs for households by 205%, non-mining commercial prices have increased by 180%, and social services consumers such as schools, hospitals, orphanages, and churches face a 190% increase. The Constitution Amendment Bill was passed by Parliament and will be signed into law early in 2016 by the Republican President Edgar Chagwa Lungu. The significance of the amendments is still to be debated, with issues including the presidential, parliamentary, and governance implications.