Mbabane Gets Ready For LCC And Ward Committee Elections 2018

05 March 2018

Mbabane – Communities within the 12 wards of Mbabane should be ready for elections of the Local Community Committee (LCC) and Ward Committee Elections.

This year’s elections of the two critical structures will take place between March and May 2018.  Residents of Mbabane will be notified of dates of elections in their respective communities and are encouraged to attend. It must be noted that implementation of this policy and the existence of the LCC’s and WC’s does not remove the right of an individual to directly report to Council issues that will affect him or her as an individual nor his/her homestead.

Through its Stakeholders Engagement Policy of 2013, the Municipal Council of Mbabane identified that it was priority to systematically and strategically support the engagement of all its different stakeholders in order for Council’s activities to be aligned to the needs of the stakeholders and to be in line with good practices.

Among its identified main stakeholders, the Council selected the different communities in the 12 Wards as a group of stakeholders that need to be given priority in terms of engagement. The identified communities have different structures some of which were inherited from the colonial era whilst others have come about due to the unique needs of a community. Since these structures are well recognized by the communities and are considered legitimate, the Council found it proper not to dismantle them and create its own. It has taken a conscious decision to leverage on their existence and influence, by setting up Ward and Local Community Committees.

A policy was developed and reviewed in 2017, which speaks to the establishment of these committees. It speaks to the election of certain individuals within the communities that are of sound mind, good character and will have the communities’ best interests at heart.

Roles and responsibilities of committees are:

• Ensure regular contact between Council and communities.
• Facilitate public participation in the process of development of council policies affecting communities within the communities.
• Serve as a mobilizing agent for community action in the implementation of council programs.
• To assist and support in identifying community needs and resources within the community.
• To run the day to day community affairs.
• To resolve community issues such as disputes between community members when it comes to the following:

1. Scholarship applications
2. Registration of births and deaths.
3. Land allocations.
4. Regional and Youth Fund applications.
5. Application for gun permits.
6. Registration of marriages.
7. Any other duties that the council may prescribe.

The policy states that elections will take part every 5 years, and will run with the term of Ward Councilors.