Browsing by Author "Mutumba, Boniface S."

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    The accounting role of regional councillors in financial management for regional councils in Namibia : The cases of Oshana and Caprivi regional councils
    (University of Namibia, 2012) Mutumba, Boniface S.
    Although decisions to acquire and expend financial resources in regional councils are a domain of regional councillors, officials appointed by regional councils and those serving the Ministry of Regional Local Government and Rural Development in Namibia view this as quixotic. This paragonistic perception of appointed officials towards councillors gives rise to synthetic practices that continue to override the efficacy of regional councillors in their role as financiers at regional level in Namibia. Like other regional councils in Namibia, Oshana and Caprivi regional councils are grappling with challenges in financial management. Reflecting on the anecdote of experiences of these two regional councils, this paper makes the call for politicians, technocrats at central and regional government levels and academics to abandon, or at least more vigorously challenge the somewhat archaic, paragonistic methodologies that are very often inappropriate to democratic and corporate governance compliant financial management at sub national level. It argues that there is need to grow legislation based, innovative and creative methodological responses to separate the roles of regional councillors and technocrats appointed by regional councils in financial management. Citing the ideological and methodological shifts made in the Decentralisation process in Namibia, it is argued that it is indeed possible to create unique and exciting processes. Processes that move beyond the rhetoric of “the normative separation of the roles of councilors and officials” to one that in very real terms makes regional councillors the focus of financial planning, budgeting and budgetary control and monitoring the financial activities of regional councils.
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    The evolution of regional and local government
    (University of Namibia, 2013) Mutumba, Boniface S.
    Although regional and local government has been in existence in Namibia since the colonial times, it never existed in the communal areas of the territory. As a consequence of this, tribal authorities governed these parts of the territory. This underscored the importance of local government that time and also inhibited people from taking part in the decision making process on matters pertaining to their lives. This scenario reduced citizens to mere recipients of predetermined decisions of the colonial authorities. In some parts of the Police Zone, where regional and local government was practiced, local governments were mere extensions of the state in that all decisions were taken in colonial capitals and handed down to local governments for implementation. This effectively meant that regional and local government was subjected to central control, and also that, extensive centrally determined rules governed activities such as development planning and policy-making at sub national levels.
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    Intergovernmental relations between central government and selected local authorities in Namibia with special reference to the decentralisation process
    (University of Namibia, 2004) Mutumba, Boniface S.
    Although decentralisation is a basic tenet of local democracy in local government operations, the central government and local authorities do not seem to adhere to basic principles that the concept seeks to promote, particularly in policy and legislation formulation on matters pertaining to local authority affairs. This negates the values of local self-government, democracy or participation, liberty and autonomy. which are powerful ideological elements in the establishment of local government institutions in Namibia. This study was undertaken to test this proposition. so as to incline policy and legislation formulation by the central government and local authorities into partnership, in line with provisions of Article 1 {2) and chapter 12 (3) of the constitution for the Republic of Namibia. In order to carry out this research, the study adopted an evaluative method that utilised questionnaire, literature review, and documentary search techniques. Focus was mainly on local authority consultation, participation, centre local relationship, division of decision-making powers between the central government and local authorities; councilior-community relationship and councillors' contact with local development committees. The study revealed that very little consultation takes place in issues of national policy and legislation formulation, particularly on matters that pertain to local authority affairs between the two levels of policy namely, central government and local authorities. Legislation and national policies pertaining to local authority affairs are initiated, conceived and formulated by the central government. fn most cases, local authorities merely implement centrally planned policies and legislation. Another interesting finding is that councillors usually determine what their local clients (community members) want without their involvement. This scenario negates the ve1y basis of local government, interdependency and centralises political decision-making power to the centre. Thus, the central government regards local authorities as mere extensions of the state through which the power of the state filters, and that. they are subordinate bodies upon which policies can be imposed. Similar£v, local authority councillors regard community members as ordinary people on whom any decision can be imposed. This whole policy and legislation formulation scenario is typical of a top-down approach that does not augur well with the dernocratic principles upon which the Republic of Namibia was established. This study advocates that, participation in national policy and legislation formulation between the central government and local authorities on matters pertaining to local authority affairs should be encouraged. Furthermore, community members should be vigorously pursued ro take part in policy making on matters pertaining to their lives at local level. The MRLGH and local authorities should form a partnership in policy initiation. formulation and implementation. Instead of political decision-making power to vest in the central government, such power should be shared with local authorities composed of elected represematives of the people at grass roots level.