Parliament revisits three decades of decentralisation

Nearly 30 years after Namibia adopted its National Decentralisation Policy with the promise of bringing government closer to the people, parliament is once again reviewing whether the programme has delivered on its original objectives as lawmakers seek to accelerate implementation of the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6).

The parliamentary standing committee on urban and rural development and land reform last week convened a five-day capacity-building workshop in Gobabis to examine the state of decentralisation, assess institutional and fiscal challenges, and identify legislative reforms needed to strengthen service delivery across the country.

Although the workshop is framed around NDP6, the issues under discussion have their roots in policy proposals developed before Namibia's independence.

The concept of decentralisation was first articulated in the 1988 United Nations Institute for Namibia (UNIN) blueprint, prepared by Swapo as part of its vision for governing an independent Namibia.

After independence in 1990, the Constitution entrenched the principle by providing for regional and local government within a unitary state.

The first practical steps followed in 1992 when parliament enacted the Regional Councils Act and the Local Authorities Act to bring government services closer to communities and promote local participation in development.

However, by the mid-1990s, government acknowledged that decentralisation had stalled because there was no comprehensive framework governing how functions, personnel, assets and financial resources would be transferred from central government to regional and local authorities.

That led to Cabinet approving the National Decentralisation Policy in December 1996 before it was adopted in 1997 under the theme 'Decentralisation, Development and Democracy', which remains the cornerstone of Namibia's decentralisation programme.

Phased plan

Rather than transferring powers immediately, the policy proposed a phased approach designed to build institutional capacity before greater autonomy was granted.

The first stage, deconcentration, focused on extending central government services into the regions by establishing ministerial offices and deploying officials outside Windhoek, while decision-making authority remained largely with national ministries.

The second stage, delegation, envisaged ministries assigning specific responsibilities to regional councils and local authorities while retaining overall accountability.

Functions such as housing administration, rural water supply, local markets, clinics and certain road services could be managed locally, although the responsible ministry remained ultimately accountable.

The final stage, devolution, represented the policy's ultimate objective. Under this model, regional councils and local authorities would receive not only additional responsibilities but also the legal authority, financial resources, personnel, assets and decision-making powers needed to manage those functions independently and be held accountable for their performance.

Critical instrument

Recognising that responsibilities could not simply be transferred without adequate capacity, parliament enacted the Decentralisation Enabling Act in 2000, creating the legal framework through which ministries could delegate or devolve functions to regional and local authorities in a phased manner.

Successive national development plans have continued to identify decentralisation as a critical instrument for improving governance, reducing regional inequalities and strengthening citizen participation in development.

NDP6 again places decentralisation at the centre of government's strategy for improving service delivery, strengthening accountability and promoting balanced regional development.

Opening the workshop, acting chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on urban and rural development and land reform, Marius Sikunawa Sheya, said decentralisation remains one of Namibia's most important governance reforms because it seeks to transfer authority, resources and decision-making closer to the people.

He said citizens increasingly expect faster public services, improved infrastructure and greater participation in decisions affecting their daily lives, adding that development planned and managed at local level is more responsive to the needs of communities.

Sheya stressed that decentralisation cannot succeed by transferring responsibilities alone, saying effective implementation requires financial resources, skilled personnel and strong accountability mechanisms.

He said the success of NDP6 will depend on how effectively Namibia decentralises not only responsibilities but also resources, skills and accountability.

His remarks closely mirror the aspirations set out in the 1997 National Decentralisation Policy, suggesting that many of the structural challenges identified nearly three decades ago remain only partially resolved.

During the Gobabis workshop, participants reviewe whether existing decentralisation policies, legislation and institutional arrangements adequately support NDP6; assessing the financial and institutional capacity of regional councils and local authorities; examining how decentralisation can improve urban and rural service delivery; and identifying legislative and policy gaps requiring parliamentary attention.

The workshop is expected to produce recommendations aimed at strengthening parliamentary oversight, improving collaboration between governance institutions and proposing legislative reforms. Those recommendations will be tabled before parliament before being submitted to the relevant offices, ministries and agencies for implementation.