Role of traditional leaders in Namibia's decentralization policy
| dc.contributor.author | Ndiyepa, Erika Kaenda | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2014-02-07T14:07:52Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2014-02-07T14:07:52Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2001 | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | en_US | |
| dc.description.abstract | This paper looks at the role of traditional leaders in the new decentralization dispensation in Namibia. The paper contends from the onset that the decentralization policy does not have ample provisions intended to harmonize traditional leadership with modern forms of government. What prevails are inconclusive sections that indicate the need to involve traditional leaders in some of the development committees of regions. An exposé of this phenomenon is done by looking at the position of traditional leaders before gazetting in 1995 and their role thereafter; that is, whether the roles of traditional leaders and elected functionaries have been appropriately rationalized and harmonized as well as the reactions of traditional leaders themselves on their role as expressed in the decentralization policy | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | A comparative approach is used in the research. First of all two regions Omusati and Kunene are selected for the study as they offer a diversity of cultures and traditions that approximate the panoply of traditional authority in Namibia. Secondly, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Uganda are used as worthwhile comparative cases of those countries that have adopted decentralization policies but have to a reasonable extent, succeeded in mobilizing traditional leaders to participate in their decentralization initiatives. Documentary search, interviews and questionnaires are used as data collection instruments while simple qualitative methodologies are used to analyze the data | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | From the responses and information collected through documentary search, it is evident that the role of traditional leaders as provided for in the decentralization policy is rather minimal. Traditional authorities have been made to subordinate to the authority of regional councils. Provisions indicate that they can only participate through involvement in some of the regional council committees. Consequently traditional leaders think that there is need to revisit this piece of legislation so as to harmonise their relationship with existing modern government structures. It is also encouraging to note that even seniorgovernment officials interviewed including the Minister and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing realize the importance of traditional leaders in Namibia and think that the role of these leaders should be increased under decentralization. What remains is explicit advocacy that can assist government to come up with clear modalities for increasing this role. A brief statement of recommendations is given at the end where the study indicates among others, the need to involve traditional leaders in all regional development committees from planning committees to implementation and evaluation of development activities in the region. Namibia just like most African countries is a dual society, which straddles both traditionality and modernity. It still attaches great importance to its traditional leaders and realizes that trying to undermine them would be to negate the very development agenda that is sought by the decentralization imperative and modern forms of governance | en_US |
| dc.description.degree | Windhoek | en_US |
| dc.description.degree | Namibia | en_US |
| dc.description.degree | University of Namibia | en_US |
| dc.description.degree | Master in Public Policy and Administration | en_US |
| dc.format.extent | 67 p | en_US |
| dc.identifier.isis | F004-199299999999999 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11070/288 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | en_US |
| dc.masterFileNumber | 2949 | en_US |
| dc.subject | Decentralization | en_US |
| dc.subject | Traditional authorities | en_US |
| dc.title | Role of traditional leaders in Namibia's decentralization policy | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |