The Local Government Association of Zambia was founded in 1947 as a voluntary membership organization, then under the name, Local Government Association of Northern Rhodesia which later changed to Municipal Association of Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) and Nyasaland (Malawi) in 1953. This was the case since the two countries were part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland comprising Northern Rhodesia (Zambia), Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), and Nyasaland (Malawi).