14.0 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

The DP recognizes that well managed local authorities are potentially a major source of socio economic development. The local authorities have been levying taxes on the citizens without providing services. They have had the Local Authority Transfer Fund (LATF) from the Central Government but these funds have not been properly used due to corruption and mismanagement.

There is no formal channel of communication between the councillors and the communities on areas of local development. In some cases the Local Authorities management styles have been a source of conflict among traders, industrialists and the general public. Little effort has been made to educate citizens on what they should expect from their councillors. Further, the Local Authorities Government Act has centralized some decision-making procedures at the Ministry of Local Government.

The DP Government will implement the following measures in order to improve the performance of local authorities:

1. Review and revise the Local Government Act to strengthen democratic practices and procedures at the Ministry

2. Enhance physical planning of the rural trading and market centres

3. Make the Local Authorities the focal points of development.

4. Establish community deliberation forums in each of the wards to enhance communication and education between the councillors and the public.

5. Create grassroots community development structures in the local authorities for the purpose of design and implementations of development projects in sectors such as basic education, vocational, agriculture, water conservation, ecotourism, environment among others.

6. Make the communities the watchdogs on crime, corruption and governance.

7. Make a citizen friendly City, Town, Municipal and County halls through Public Relations Training of the Local Authority Staff.

8. Create forums aimed to make councillors transparent and accountable through the community demand and periodic reporting of their activities.

9. Localize the award of contracts by the local authorities wherever possible.

10. Develop a data bank of all professionals in the grassroots and engage them in the development process of their areas using the ward assemblies.