Home| Library | Democracy & Human Rights | Info & Comm | Lesotho Democracy Programme | Water
MASERU DISTRICT COUNCIL COMMUNITY COUNCILS CONSULTATIVE
WORKSHOP
Background
Transformation Resource Center (TRC) and Idasa in partnership with Maseru District Council convened a consultative workshop for Community Councils in Maseru District on the 10th September 2008. Purpose of the consultative workshop was to share the Strategic Objectives as a case study from Manonyane and Qiloane Community Councils which was developed as a result of Local Governance Barometer (LGB) application and the report from the subsequence validation meeting held on the 18th June 2008.
Keynote Address
In her keynote address, Mme Neo Sennane (Maseru District Secretary) indicated that the District was requested by TRC to invite all Community Councils to attend the consultative workshop to share Manonyane and Qiloane case study. TRC has been working with the two Councils and now they have included others as well. She indicated that after the April 2005 Elections, five day workshops were held for newly elected Councillors in all ten Districts for them to understand the workings of Community Councils. Some problems were experienced on the separation of roles and responsibilities between Marena and Councillors. To address this problem the District Council with the Legal Advisor held sessions in all 15 Community Councils. The role of Marena is provided by the 1968 Chieftainship Act and subsequent Amendment as administered by the Ministry of Local Government while the role of Councillors is provided in the Local Government Act of 1997 and subsequent Amendment of 2004.
Manonyane and Qiloane Case Study
Key Issues Raised
- Central Government is not willing to decentralise powers and functions to Community Councils because they claim that there is no capacity to perform them and there is a need for Parliament to address this matter with the Decentralisation Directorate in the Ministry of Local Government.
- Community Councils are not well funded and there is a lack of revenue and Central Government does not transfer funds for community development.
- The state of Local Government and decentralisation in Botswana South Africa and Tanzania is at the advance stage as compared to Lesotho and Malawi because the system in these two countries is fairly new.
- The Local Courts does not take the Community Councils serious and therefore they do not recognise their existence.
- The application of the Local Governance Barometer (LGB) should be extended to other Community Councils to inform the District wide capacity building programme.
- Other key stakeholders like the various Government Departments and Police should be involved in future activities to strengthen the relationship and partnerships.
- Communities lack understanding of what role can they play in Community Councils and in development.
Strategic Objectives
- Training of Councillors and Chiefs on roles and responsibilities as provided by Local Government Act (1997) and Chieftainship Act (1968) as well as addressing their relationship with Members of Parliament.
- ranslation of documents in Sesotho and training of communities on Local Government System.
- Research on the functionality of Local Government System and share lessons across the country.
- Strengthen the Administrative capacity of Community Councils and the relationship with other Government Departments.
- Convening a National Conference to review the Local Government System in preparation for the next term of office and fast-track decentralisation process.
Wayforward
- TRC and Idasa will compile the report and circulate it to Community Council Secretaries for report-back and TRC will visit each Council to take the process forward.
- TRC and Idasa will seek audience with the District Chairperson, District Administrator and District Council Secretary to share the reports with the aim of engaging the Ministry of Local Government to realise the Strategic Objectives.
