The Chairperson of the National Council has opened the second Conference of the National Council and Regional Councils, emphasizing stronger collaboration between the two institutions to improve governance and service delivery.
Held under the theme "Towards Responsive Governance: Elucidating the Mandates of the National Council and Regional Councils," the conference brings together Regional Council Chairpersons and Chief Regional Officers.
The Chairperson, Lucas Muha, noted that the platform remains a critical space for consultation.
The gathering will also revisit resolutions from last year's conference, which included calls for the review of the Regional Council Act, full implementation of the Decentralisation Act, and greater participation of women in regional governance.
Muha further stressed the importance of ensuring that regional voices are heard in the lawmaking process.
"We aspire for Regional Councils to continuously and meaningfully participate in the legislative review process, and for Members representing their regions to provide input enriched by the region during the bill review."
The President of the Association of Regional Councils, Matengu Simushi, reaffirmed the association's commitment to strengthen decentralization and good governance.
Simushi said the partnership with the National Council has been central to protecting constituency resources, strengthening accountability, and ensuring regional perspectives are incorporated into national policymaking.
"We therefore appreciate that the theme of this conference coincides with our concerted efforts to strengthen decentralization and good governance at a subnational level where the accessibility and accountability of governance arrangements are considered appropriate to stimulate democratic innovations."
The National Council's former Chairperson, Bernard Sibalatani, underlined the importance of smooth regional governance built on collaboration.
"The national council represents the regional council, that one is very cardinal—take it very seriously. Without the relationship, I should say, in addition to that relationship, I've heard from the other speakers, there should be a quarterly grossed symbiotic relationship between these two, the national council and the regional council."
The three-day meeting is expected to set the pace for stronger collaboration across all 14 regions of Namibia.