BY GEORGINA KEKEA
SIR Allen Kemakeza, the Managing Director and owner of Sunset Resort in Savo, on the invitation to share few remarks with the participants of a recent workshop held on Savo, thanked the Central Provincial Government for choosing the resort to host this important training.
Sir Allen took the chance to remind the Ward Development Chairpersons and Treasurers of their roles as partners of the Central Provincial Government in rolling out the participatory planning process.
He highlighted that WDC members represent the people in their respective communities and wards in the planning process.
Thus they must perform to the expectations of the Central Provincial Government and to the expectations of the people they represent.
The former Prime Minister reminded all participants again about the saying: “Governments are from the People, for the People and by the People”.
Sir Allen stressed that government policies must come from the people.
“This is the important task of WDC members. They are to participate and inclusively plan and identify projects that represent the true needs of the people and bring it up to the Provincial Government. The people must dictate rural development rather than being dictated at the central level or by agents that can be seen as outsiders. The government is then expected to deliver services for the people. The people are the resource owners thus government is obliged to give back to the people the services they needed to sustain livelihoods and improve standards of living at the ward level in the rural areas,” Sir Allan said.
The training in question is on Participatory Planning & Budgeting for Ward Development Committee Members for Central Province.
30 participants including four female Ward Treasurers attended the training.
