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Local government debt has increasingly become a critical challenge for fiscal sustainability and the effective delivery of public services in Zambia. This paper undertakes aanalytical desk review of Local Government Public Debt in Zambia: Risk and Strategic Management Approaches. The review is guided by three objectives which are to evaluate the nature, scale, and composition of public debt among 116 local authorities in Zambia; to analyze the associated fiscal and economic risks of public debt at the local government level in Zambia, and recommend strategic management approaches aimed at enhancing debt sustainability and improving delivery of local services. The study is based on desk review which entailed a systematic and critical examination of national policy documents and official government reports related and /or incidental to the subject matter. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, quantitative analysis was used to examine trends and patterns in debt accumulation, while qualitative assessment captured contextual and institutional factors influencing debt management. The key findings revealed that public debt among 116 local authorities in Zambia is predominantly arrears-based rather than driven by formal borrowing, a substantial escalation in the scale of debt and arrears over the three-year period, with total verified obligations increasing from ZMW 4.38 billion in June 2022 to ZMW 5.86 billion by June 2025, representing a 33.86% rise. The findings indicate that arrears are not confined to a single expenditure category but are widespread across operational, statutory, and development-related obligations, underscoring the systemic nature of fiscal stress within local authorities. Statutory obligations, personnel-related arrears, and unpaid supplier and contractor liabilities constitute the largest components of local government debt, with urban and economically active councils generally exhibiting higher debt levels than rural councils. The analysis further established that the current structure of local government debt poses significant fiscal and economic risks. Rising statutory penalties and interest charges are eroding already constrained fiscal space, limiting resources available for service delivery and development expenditure. Increasing utility arrears heighten the risk of service disruptions and create contingent liabilities, while arrears to suppliers and contractors impose liquidity constraints on the local private sector, raise procurement costs, and weaken local economic activity. The reliance on arrears as an implicit financing mechanism undermines budget credibility and fiscal transparency, reinforcing a cycle of fiscal fragility at the local government level. Arising from the study’s findings, the study recommends several strategic management approaches to enhance debt sustainability, including debt restructuring, liquidation plans, strengthening revenue mobilization, budgetary controls, and institutionalized monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Further, aligning recruitment and payroll policies with fiscal capacity and engaging with credit rating agencies can improve the financial credibility and borrowing capacity of local authorities. This study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of local government debt in Zambia, highlighting both its structural drivers and systemic risks. The findings have important policy implications, informing the design of debt management strategies, enhancing fiscal discipline, improving local service delivery, and supporting the broader decentralization agenda in Zambia.