Departmental Objective: To initiate and facilitate the physical and socio-economic development of the town.

Functions of the Department:

1. To identify vacant land for immediate and future development,
2. Creation of plots
3. Re-zoning of land
4. Providing advice to the public on land use
5. Approval of building plans
6. Urban regeneration and renewal
7. Provision of green spaces
8. Socio-economic planning
9. Strategic planning
10. Environmental planning
11. HIV/AIDS mainstreaming
12. Gender mainstreaming
13. Updating of Mkushi District Development Plans
14. Updating of the district Situation analysis
15. Implementation of Constituency Development Funds
16. Implementation of Ward Development Fund

The department is headed by the District Planning Officer who directly supervises the six (06) sections of the department namely;

• Socio-economic Planning Section
• Physical Planning Section
• Public Health Section
• Building inspectorate
• Community Development
• District HIV/AIDS Section

Socio-Economic Planning Section

The section is charged with the following responsibilities;

• Undertake baseline and sample surveys from communities on the use & development of Socio-economic resources and activities.
• Liaise with the Provincial Planning Unit (PPU) on Socio-economic Planning issues being carried out in the District.
• Support strengthening of vertical and horizontal sub-district community structures in a participatory manner.
• Undertake effective preparation of project proposals to enhance resource mobilization for sustainable development.
• Integrating Physical and Socio-economic Planning approaches in Strategic Plans of the District/Council and align them to the Provincial and National Plans
• Coordinating with Council departments/units and other sector planners in managing the project management cycle at District level (e.g. Constituency Development Fund, Ward Development Fund projects and other district projects).
• Ensuring integration of citizen participation & gender participation in Council planning procedures.

Physical Planning Section

This section is charged with the following mandates and responsibilities:

• Advise the District Assembly on national policies on physical planning, land use and development;
• Co-ordinate activities and projects of departments and other agencies including Non-Governmental Organizations to ensure compliance with planning standards;
• Assist in preparation of physical plans as a guide for the formulation of development policies and decisions and to design projects in the district;
• Assist to identify problems concerning the development of land and its social, environmental and economic implications;
• Advise on setting out approved plans for future development of land at the district level;
• Advise on preparation of structures for towns and village within the district;
• Collaborate with the Survey Unit in the performance of its functions;
• Facilitate and participate in research into planning in the district;
• Assist to offer professional advice to aggrieved persons on appeals and petitions on decisions made on their building;
• Facilitate consultation, co-ordination and harmonization of developmental decisions into a physical development plan;
• Assist to prepare a District Land-Use Plan to guide activities in the district;
• Advise on the conditions for the construction of public and private buildings and structures;
• Assist to provide the layout for buildings for improved housing layout and settlement;
• Ensure the prohibition of the construction of new buildings unless building plans submitted have been approved by the Council;
• Advise and facilitate the demolition of dilapidated buildings and recovery of expenses incurred in connection with the demolition;
• Ensure the prohibition of the use of inflammable materials in the construction or repair of buildings in defied areas;
• Advise the Council on the sitting of bill boards, masts and ensure compliance with the decisions of the Council;
• Advise on the acquisition of landed property in the public interest; and
• Undertake street naming, numbering of houses and related Issues.

Public Health Section

To undertake the delivery of public health services and enforcement of laws on environmental health in order to minimize health and safety hazards. The section’s main responsibilities include the following;

• Undertakes effectively the enforcement of the Public Health and other related Acts in order to ensure compliance.
• Inspection of premises and monitoring of pollution levels in order to ensure adherence and compliance to the relevant environmental laws.
• Inspections and sampling of meat and other foods in order to ensure that they are safe for public consumption.
• Scrutiny of building plans and issuance of occupational certificates in order to ensure that building developments are habitable and safe.
• Disease prevention, mitigation and control activities in order to minimize the prevalence of communicable diseases in the City.
• Certification of the preservation and preparation of human remains for transportation in order to reduce the risk of communicable diseases.
• Supervision of human, financial and material resources in order to enhance operations.

 Building Inspectorate Section

The building inspectorate section for Mkushi municipal has as two officers which includes;

• Senior Building Inspector
• Building inspector

Among the duties for the building inspectorate section includes;

Building Inspections

Supervises and undertakes timely stage inspection of buildings in order to ensure compliance with set standards. The stage inspections are carried out at every stage of construction and they are broken down into the following.

• Setting out
• Concrete footing
• Blockwork in substructure
• Concrete slab
• Blockwork in superstructure
• Lintel
• Roofing
• Electricals
• Plumbing
• Finishes and
• External works

After the structure has been furnished, the building inspectorate section conduct a final inspection with the public health inspectors and the fire-fighting officers prior to issuance of the occupancy certificates.

Illegal Structures

Supervises and undertakes the timely identification and reporting of illegal structures in order to facilitate appropriate interventions. The building inspectorate section conduct developmental control from time to time and during this exercise it identifies illegal developed structure.

Business levy inspections

The building inspectorate section conduct inspection for business premises prior to the issuance of business permits. After carrying out inspection, the Senior Building Inspector recommends whether the business levy can be issued or not.

Building plans scrutiny

The District Planning Officer is the chairperson of the Technical Committee on Planning Permission with the Senior Building Inspector as the secretariat. The committee also encompasses the Town Planner, Architect, Civil Engineer, District Fire-fighting officer, Public Health Inspector and the Senior Legal Assistant. In this committee applications for planning permission to develop, subdivide or consolidate plots are scrutinized and approved or disapproved in regards to the building regulations and the Urban and Regional Planning Act No. 3 of 2015.

Report Compilation

Supervises and undertakes timely the compilation of building inspection reports in order to inform and enhance decision making.

Performance management

Manages effectively the implementation of performance management system in order to improve and sustain performance.

Management

Manages human, financial and material resources enhance the operations of the department.

District HIV Response Coordination and Management Section

The section is responsible to coordinate response strategies to HIV/AIDS to ensure effective HIV/AIDS mainstreaming in the district through various District Developmental and Social Service plans and HIV/AIIDS wellness workplace programs using a multi-sectoral approach.

Roles and Responsibilities

General purpose: To design, plan co-ordinate response strategies to HIV/AIDS, in order to ensure that all district developmental and social service plans mainstream HIV/AIDS using a multi-sectoral approach.

Some of the responsibilities include;

• Policy: Providing policy guidance to Local Authorities on the National decentralized multi-sectoral response and support the Planning Department and sub-district structures to interpret and facilitate implementation of Government mainstreaming policies in all developmental programmes.
• Liaison, Information sharing and Co-ordination:Support the Local Authority through the HIV and AIDS Committee to effectively co-ordinate the local response in line with the priorities of the national HIV and AIDS Strategic Framework
• Planning, Programme Development and Budgeting:Support the Local Authority in the preparation of costed District Developmental Plans and ensure mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS, Gender and Human Rights in sector developmental plans
• Supervision : Co-ordinates and supervises the activities of the decentralised HIV multi-sectoral response at District and Sub-district level
• Research:Support the undertaking of HIV and AIDS research activities at the sub national level and participate in the generation of evidence based plans based on the research findings
• Monitoring and Evaluation:Facilitate the collection, storage, retrieval and analysis of the local data on HIV and AIDS for planning and decision making at various levels of the Local Authority
• Performance Management: Participate in annual horizontal and vertical management functions of the Local Authority.
• Capacity Building:Provide expertise and technical assistance to implementing partners at District and Sub-district levels
• Management and Staff Development;Facilitate staff development and training in HIV/AIDS and Gender mainstreaming at District and Sub-district levels

Perform any other duties assigned by the relevant directorate of the Local Authority.

 In order to effectively coordinate the HIV response in the District the District AIDS Coordination Advisor (DACA) works closely with the District HIV/AIDS Committee (DHAC) formerly known as the District AIDS Task Force (DATF). The committee coordinates, facilitates, supervises and monitors the implementation of HIV/AIDS policies and programs in the district. The DHAC receive technical, financial and administrative support from NAC and other partners and also receive technical and secretariat support from District AIDS Coordination Advisors (DACAs).

Some of the tasks of the DHAC include but not limited to the following:

• Interpreting national policies to guide the district response
• Recording and maintaining a database of HIV/AIDS response in the district
• Monitoring and Evaluation of the local response
• Compiling quarterly reports for submission to the DDCC and PATF
• Developing HIV and AIDS district response plans
• Building capacity of stakeholders in HIV and AIDS response
• Facilitating the formation and training of Community AIDS Task Forces (CATFs)
• Contributing to the development of IEC materials to suit local needs
• Advocacy for resource mobilization (human, material and financial) for the local response
• Documenting and disseminating examples of best practices

At community level the DHAC facilitates the formation and training of Community AIDS Task Forces (CATFs).Normally, CATF catchments are aligned to ward boundaries or Area/Resident Development Committees (A/RDCs) catchments. Where these areas are vast in terms of geographical coverage and or population density, wards can be further sub-divided to form Zonal AIDS Task Forces (ZATFs) or Village AIDS Task Forces (VATFs). At community level, all community-based organizations (CBOs) are coordinated by the CATFs. CATFs are in charge of coordinating, supervising and monitoring HIV/AIDS activities at community level.

Routine Activities

1. Conducts HIV Testing on all public events in order to create demand on HIV services
2. Commemoration of HIV testing counselling and treatment day (HTCT) on 15^thAugust, every year.
3. Conducts pre-HTCT celebration some of the services offered include but not limited to the following;

• HTC (HIV Testing and Counselling)
• VMMC (Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision)
• Cervical Cancer Screening
• Condom distribution
• BP checkups
• Sexual reproductive Health education
• Drama through sensitization

1. Conduct pre-world AIDS Day community activities between October to November 30^th
2. Conduct Actual World AIDS day Commemoration services prio to World AIDS day held in the evenings of 30^thNovember
3. Facilitate and coordinate the 16 days of activism against GBV from 25^thto 10^th December

 Community Development Section.

The section is primarily responsible for all community development related activities, prominent ones being the following;

• Provision of early childhood and adult education.

• Supervise and supportive visits in pre-schools.

• Skills Training

• Supportive visits to women and youth training centres were skills are provided.

• Sports and Recreation.

• Support visits to sports and recreation centres also to participate in the weekly sports activities.

1. Volleyball
2. Netball

• Football

1. Community play parks / community hall & libraries.