WALVIS BAY – Mayors and councillors of tier two municipalities, town and village councils will now earn more in terms of sitting allowances after the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development granted approval for a 15%, 20% and 25% increase on monthly allowances.
The ministry has also introduced additional airtime allowances for councillors and sitting allowances for members of these local authorities. However, it is important to note that these increases do not apply to the Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Windhoek municipalities, as they generate their income independently.
This increase comes in response to the Association of Local Authorities in Namibia (ALAN), which had previously proposed a salary increment of 50%.
Parliamentarian of the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) Josef Kauandenge expressed dismay last year over what he described as meagre salaries paid to local authority councillors, saying it hinders their effectiveness in performing their
duties.
According to a circular issued by the executive director of the ministry, Nghidinua Daniel, the increments are applicable from 1 July. “Sitting allowances will be applicable for the management committee for both ordinary and extraordinary meetings but limited to one meeting per month. Special council meeting sitting allowances are limited to two meetings per month,” he explained.
The purchasing amount for cell phones remains N$4 000, and it is applicable only
to mayors, deputy mayors and chairpersons of the management committees, while the rest of the councillors will receive only airtime allowance.
“Local authority councils must make provision in the budget for the 2023/2024 financial year to cater for these adjustments,” urged Daniel.
Regarding the airtime allowance, mayors will receive N$1 000, deputy mayors N$600, chairpersons N$700, ordinary members of the management committee will get N$500, while ordinary councillors will receive N$300 per month.
As for sitting allowances, members of municipal and town councils will receive N$350 per sitting, while village councils across the board will receive N$200 per sitting. Under the previous scale, a mayor received an annual allowance of N$88 910, a deputy mayor N$81 289, a management committee chairperson N$83 828, and the management committee members
N$81 289, whereas ordinary council members received N$76 209.
With the new adjustments, a municipal mayor will now receive at least N$102 246 per annum, deputy mayors and MC
members N$93 480, the chairperson will get N$96 402, and ordinary council members will get approximately N$87 636.
For town councils, mayors will receive N$93 000, the chairperson of the management committee will get N$86 796, deputy mayors N$83 000 each, while MC members and ordinary councillors will each get N$80 604 and N$77 496, respectively.
A village council chairperson will get N$57 180, the deputy N$504 60 and ordinary members N$43 728, according to the new increments.
- edeklerk@nepc.com.na