Windhoek
Windhoek Mayor Muesee Kazapua says resources at the disposal of local authority councils are not adequate to meet the ever increasing demand for municipal services by residents.
Kazapua said this when addressing council members during the ceremony to confer alderperson titles on long serving councillors of the City of Windhoek on Wednesday.
The mayor said the traditional sectoral planning approaches have proved to be ineffective in addressing development challenges and enhancing programmes.“Resources are waning and are not enough for each institution to exist in isolation,” he said.
Kazapua said that in today’s world, which is filled with persistent economic slowdown and fast technological changes, emphasis should be placed on an inter-sectoral approach and improved intergovernmental relations.
“Therefore, in our quest to enhance inter-sectoral planning we need to engage everybody – the central government, the public and private sectors, civil society and the public at large,” he added.
He said that he was convinced that with this approach the duplication of efforts, resource wastage and checks and balances would be ensured and a sense of ownership and responsibility created.
He said this equally “calls on us to assess and revisit the operational framework and the local authority legislation Act 23 of 1992”.
“You may agree with me that some of the provisions in the local authority Act arre no longer responsive to the demands of today, therefore we need to change course, in order to adapt to prevailing operational environments,” he said.
Kazapua said that as the mayor of Windhoek he on a daily basis interacts with the poor and destitute, hungry and angry, and residents who have lost hope because of social deprivation and poverty.
He said the situation is worsened by the fact that local authority leadership in Namibia “has to be offered on a part-time basis, a situation that does not correspond to the demands of today”.
“Therefore, the business of local authority leadership is not an easy one; it requires patience, broad shoulders and sacrifice, from the elected leaders,” said the mayor.
At the ceremony, Alderwoman Elaine Trepper and Alderman Boas Ekandjo were honoured with a silver medal for 17 and 15 years’ service at the council.Former Windhoek mayor Agnes Kafula, former deputy mayor Gerson Kamatuka, Councillor Jason Shikongo, and former councillor Benestus Kandundu all received bronze medals for their 11 years’ service.