EASTERN PROVINCE

BUGESERA — The Ministry of Local Government [MINALOC] has started sensitisation campaign for the next phase of decentralisation programmes in Bugesera district.

Kalisa Mbanda, who represented the ministry on Thursday, told The New Times that the move was to equip the district leaders and residents with the strategies needed to effectively implement the National Decentralisation Policies adopted by the government on May 26, 2000.

He said: "The main objective of the policy is to achieve political, economic, social, managerial, administrative and technical empowerment of local citizens in the fight against poverty; by involving them in planning and management of their development process.”

He asked district leaders, donors, and other NGOs representatives to ensure that each sector independently implements their own activities.

Mbanda said the government was optimistic the policies would be implemented within the next five years.

"Within five years we believe decentralisation programmes will be broadly understood. We want the process to go down to sectors and cells,” he said. He added that there some district officials who do not understand decentralisation policies and strategies.

"What everyone here should know, is that under decentralisation, districts are given autonomy to make own policies, regulating district laws and regulations,” he said.

Mbanda highlighted archives, independent finance and organised human resource management as cornerstone for every district to effectively implement decentralisation.

He said under decentralisation no body asserts authority over another because every organ has autonomous powers.

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