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According to Muriisa (2008:86) “decentralisation initiatives arose out of displeasure with the manner central governments deal with governance and service delivery at sub-national levels”. This means that central governments were found to lack capacity to satisfy the needs and aspirations of people because it is located far from the governed. In addition, Muriisa (2008:84) states that decentralisation in Africa emanated from the World Bank’ recommendations to decentralise political and administrative decision making powers and functions to sub-national levels in order to promote service delivery. As further put by Muriisa (2008:84) the reason for this focus, is that central governments were failing to effectively provide “social services such as health, education, water and sanitation”.

In the context of Namibia, decentralisation policy has its roots in the South West Africa People Organisation (SWAPO) Election manifesto of 1989. SWAPO Manifesto (1989:20) states that, an “independent Namibia will have democratically elected local authorities both in rural and urban areas, in order to give power to the people at sub-national levels to make decisions on matters affecting their lives”. It further pronounces that, “for administrative convenience and development requirements the government will restructure and divide the country into regional,

©University of South Africa 137 district, municipal and village units of government”. This policy statement culminated in the formulation and implementation of the decentralisation policy. There are essentially three forms of decentralisation in Namibia (Republic of Namibia, 2009:2). These are:

• Deconcentration: This is a situation when public officials from central government are delegated to perform functions at sub-national levels under the auspices and control of central government. However, although functions are carried out at sub-national levels, no power is given to those institutions. Central government decides and direct all activities pertaining to service delivery. Though accountability may be high in this regard, participative democracy is very limited or non-exist at all.

• Delegation: Where central government delegates specific functions to lower levels of government to be executed on an agency basis. However, authority and accountability on delegated functions remain with central government.

• Devolution: It involves total transfer of “functions, resources and power to sub-national levels of government”. This kind of decentralisation gives decision making powers to sub-national levels to plan and perform functions, and also assume public responsibility of functions so performed. It promotes democratic participation by citizens and direct involve in governance and service delivery.

It is important to mention that in the context of Namibia, decentralisation is a constitutional requirement (Republic of Namibia, 1990:53). Decentralisation policy is provided for under chapter 12 of the constitution. Article 1 of the Namibian Constitution provides for the establishment of Namibia as a democratic and unitary state whose constitution guarantees, under Article 95, “active promotion and maintenance of welfare of all people by adopting policies aimed at social, cultural and economic development”.

In an effort to guarantee closeness and convenience of essential services to the people, the decentralisation policy was adopted in 1998. Subsequently, the Decentralisation Enabling Act 33 of 2000 was enacted and promulgated. The Act serves as a regulatory framework for decentralised activities at sub-national level. Regional councils and local authority councils as well as line ministries operate within such framework. By and large, the policy of decentralisation complements government initiatives on service delivery. In particular, it provides an opportunity for ordinary people to participate in decision making regarding social and economic issues aimed at enhancing communities’ wellbeing. In this regard, Totemeyer

©University of South Africa 138 (2004:74) maintains that the “objectives of decentralisation include political and administrative expedience, for example, government closer to the people, grassroots empowerment, and participatory democracy, enhancement of accountability and adaptability of governance”. The policy document spells out the aims of decentralisation (Republic of Namibia, 1998) as follow:

• “to transfer powers and functions regional and local governments based on national ideas and values;

• to enhance and guarantee participatory democracy;

• to improve the capacity of regional and local government councils to plan, implement, monitor and manage delivery of services for their constituents; and

• to ensure and safeguard rapid and sustainable development".

To sum up, decentralisation policy transferred political, administrative, and to a certain degree legislative authority from centre to sub-national institutions. What seems to be currently lacking as far as decentralisation is concerned is fiscal devolution. Lack of fiscal devolution has created a service delivery gap in regional and local councils as they do not have sufficient financial resources to meet communities. At the inception of decentralisation policy and subsequently its implementation in 2000 it was argued that sub-national government agencies had no institutional and human capacities to handle finance. However, even after capacity seems to have been created, for example, the appointment of Chief Regional Officers as accounting officers of regional council officers, finance continues to be decided and allocated from central government.

Regional and some local governments continue to depend on funds from the central government, particularly from the Ministry of Regional, Local Government and Housing and Rural Development. Due to limited government annual budget, sub-national governments continue to endure financial hardships, and cannot effectively provide services to citizens. In essence, this has a negative impact on the effectiveness of decentralisation policy. As it was alluded to earlier, decentralisation policy promotes participatory democracy and empowers communities to make decisions and determine their own destiny. In fact, the policy improves public service administration at sub-national level as public officials are afforded sufficient opportunity to plan, design and implement programmes and projects. Against the above-mentioned exposition, the lack of financial decentralisation places a huge burden on sub-national levels in terms of governance and service delivery.

©University of South Africa 139 Both decentralisation policy and the Decentralisation Enabling Act 33 of 2000 serve as frameworks that provide guidance and direction to central as well as regional and local government institutions at sub-national level. They are also guiding public officials and community members alike on how to deal with issues of services delivery. The study argues that if good governance practices are put in place and correctly applied, it can improve service delivery, realise national development agenda, and by extension contribute to Namibia’s Vision 2030.