Page 80 - MANDERA-COUNTY- THE 2019 MAGAZINE

80

WE’RE A MUNICIPALITY

The elevation of Mandera Town

Governor Roba has set his eyes on taking • Promotion, regulation and provision of refuse
advantage of Mandera Municipality’s unique collection and solid waste management
geographical position bordering Somalia and services
Ethiopia and use it as anchor to spur economic •The promotion and provision of water and
growth, wealth creation and service provision. sanitation services and infrastructure (in areas
Mandera Town is the biggest urban area that within the Municipality not served by the water
covers a radius of 500 kilometres and has been and sanitation provider)
a traditional trading point over generations. •The construction and maintenance of urban
“We are looking at possibilities of exploring roads and associated infrastructure;
tourism where visitors can have breakfast in •Construction and maintenance of storm
Ethiopia, lunch in Somalia and dinner in Kenya drainage and flood controls;
The right effort is to make Mandera Municipality • Construction, maintenance of walkways and
a smart city which incorporates a clear focus on other non-motorized transport infrastructure
sustainability, resource productivity, economic •Construction, maintenance of recreational
development and job creation, as well as getting parks and green spaces
basic core infrastructure right to enable decent • Construction and maintenance of street
quality of living in our border town.” lighting
• Construction, maintenance and regulation of
“We have unique challenges as a border town traffic controls and parking facilities
which has suffered effects of violent extremism • Construction and maintenance of bus
but is now stabilizing to attract investors. We stands and taxi stands
are looking forward to partnerships with many • Regulation of outdoor advertising
Hassanoor Abdullahi local foreign institutions among them UKaid, • Construction, maintenance and regulation
Mandera Municipality Manager World Bank, USAid, World Food Programme, of municipal markets and abattoirs
Islamic Relief and local corporates on many • Construction, maintenance of fire stations
he recent elevation of Mandera town to a fronts,” says Governor Roba. provision of fire-fighting services, emergen-
municipality has come with jobs well cut cy preparedness, disaster management
Tout for the team entrusted with managing What the Mandera Municipality Charter says • The promotion, regulation and provision
the urban outfit. The Charter has been adopted by the County of municipal sports and cultural activities
Executive Committee (CEC), the Mandera • Promotion, regulation and provision of animal
It is a massive shift from the traditional ap- County Assembly, signed and gazetted to control and welfare
proach when Governor Ali Roba elevated the make it operational. • Development and enforcement of municipal
town to municipal status and appointed former plans and development controls
Chief Officer Hassanoor Abdullahi as manager Mandera Municipality will comprise Central • Administration services (construction and
under the guidance of a Board. and Khalalio divisions which covers three maintenance of administrative offices)
The team has to develop a roadmap and see how wards - Township, Neboi and Khalalio. • The promotion and undertaking of the key in-
Mandera Municipality will effectively tackle the frastructural development and services within
challenges that come with a host functions set to Four of the Board members were competitively the Municipality
transform the town into an urban centre that has recruited by the County Executive Committee • Develop the framework of the spatial
all the amenities and services befitting a county while the remaining five members were nomi- and master plans for the Municipality
headquarters and business hub of the county. nated by different bodies. • Any other functions as may be delegated by
the County Executive Committee.
Manager Abdullahi, the administrative head an- The Governor appointed the committee mem-
swerable to a Board of nine members is focused bers with the approval of the County Assembly. However, the Municipality has not taken over
on leaving behind a legacy for the county that The Charter also specifies the roles of the all the above roles since the roles will have to
will be remembered for generations to come. Municipality: be gazetted and delegated at intervals.

Like all urban areas, Mandera Municipality must
plan to accommodate the growing population in
terms of living space, jobs, transport, besides
offering services like fire-fighting and provision
of social amenities for residents.
“We are keen to work with partners and all
stakeholders to deliver a smart municipality
and prepare for urbanization with limited funds”
says Abdullahi.

The town, elevated into a municipality by the
Governor through powers conferred on him by
the Urban Areas and Cities Act, 2011 section
9 (1) by granting a Charter to the municipality,
which is now a corporate body.