An establishment of the levels of awareness of marketeers on council services in selected markets in Kafue district, Zambia.

Abstract

The focus of this study was to establish marketeers „levels of awareness of the local governance issues in selected markets under Kafue town council. Specifically, the study sought to ascertain whether or not marketeers in Kafue town participate in the management of the markets. The study was also establishing whether or not marketeers in Kafue town are aware that they can hold Kafue Town council accountable in the management of markets. Apart from the aforementioned objectives, the research also sought to determine the responsiveness of Kafue town council to the needs of the marketeers and finally to identify what penalties Kafue Town council give to marketeers who default in the payments of market levies. In this study, three markets under Kafue town council were selected and some council workers, from which 32 research respondents were conveniently and snowbally sampled. As a matter of data collection methods, semi-structured interviews and Focus Group Discussion were used. Document analysis and checklist were also part of the data collection methods employed in this investigation. Data analysis was based on themes that emerged in the study. The data was coded, transcribed and manually analysed. The research results showed that marketeers know little about the roles of the council. It was also indicated in the study that the participation of marketeers in local governance is very low. The young marketeers do not hold the council accountable and few elderly marketeers hold the council accountable only in few cases. Further, the council responsiveness to marketeers „needs is not satisfactory. Also, the council does not do anything to defaulting marketeers. This study concluded that the marketeers‟ awareness of council roles is very low which results in the low participation by marketeers hence poor service delivery by the council. Based on the research findings, it is recommended that there is need for the council to come up with strategies that will help marketeers know the roles of the council in market management if their participation has to be aroused such as having workshops where both young and older marketeers are oriented on council roles as well as their rights as citizens. Another recommendation is that council should come up with ways of responding to the needs of marketeers which will satisfy their needs. Lastly but not the least the council should effect some charges to give to marketeers who default in the payment of market levies as this will help them understand the importance of the market levies in the management of markets.