BDP cllrs battle for BALA top seat
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday March 6, 2020 16:48
The BALA executive will be elected next week at Ave Marea hotel. This comes after the old committee’s mandate elapsed. For one to seat in the committee, he/she must be a councillor.
Two councillors who will be battling it out for presidency include Geoffrey Sibisibi and Kenaleone Fankie Motsaathebe.
The outgoing president, Mpho Moruakgomo cannot contest because he is not a sitting councillor. Moruakgomo has been BALA president since 2010.
“It is true I will be contesting for BALA presidency because I am passionate about local government issues. I want to advocate for decentralisation of clinics from central government to local government. The reasons being councils were doing well when clinics were under them, the issues of drug shortage and patients monitoring were easily addressed.
We never experienced this serious problem of water shortage that is happening now when local government was supplying water to the villages and they were maintaining the dams so well. I will also advocate for village roads to be transferred to local government since it is expensive for central government to be monitoring roads projects from Gaborone,” Motsaathebe said.
In addition, Motsaathebe said he would also urge government to upgrade sub-councils so that they have legal capacity to implement their decisions without taking mandate from the district councils.
He said for them to implement things, they have to travel to district councils to seek mandate, which is expensive and ends up delaying projects.
For his part, Sibisibi said he would advocate for welfare of councillors and other things that inhibit local government from delivering. He, however did not get back to the publication to expand on his intentions as he had promised by press time. Sibisibi who is the current chairperson for BALA financial committee said his objective is to help local government to take services to the people. Outgoing president Moruakgomo said; “BALA is now, albeit in a small way, is transformed into a mirror of what an organised local government that is apposite on promotion and deepening of local governance and democracy; through advocacy for robust decentralisation and capacity building of its membership for the pursuance of the same; not only focusing on the narrow perspective of welfare issues but these brought objectives ought to be”.
He said currently BALA has been working with government and stakeholders on finalisation of a decentralisation policy for the country.
He continued; “decentralisation, and the empowerment of local authorities has been identified as critical in realising the vision of transformation for a fairer, more resilient, equitable and sustainable future for all. Local Authorities are key partners for government to implement development and economic programmes. Many governments across the word have taken on the principle of subsidiary which has led to ongoing efforts to strengthen the capacity of local and regional governments, so that decisions can be taken at the most local or immediate level possible. Due to their proximity to the people, local authorities are best placed to identify where the needs are and to form the required partnerships to transform people’s lives”.
Through Moruakgomo’s leadership, BALA acquired plots in the centre of Gaborone and Palapye for purposes of property development as a source of future revenue generation for the organisation.
“The development of the plots are at and advanced stage as proposals for development have been presented to possible financiers. Successful development of these projects will provide a benchmark for local authorities for partnerships and collaborations with property developers and/or financiers for gainful utilisation of council land in various local authorities,” he said.
He said the association has entered into a number of agreements with various service providers for a number of benefits to their members.