Africa-Press – Angola. Administrative improvement creates more opportunities
The head of the MPLA Information and Propaganda Department in Huíla province, Joaquim Cacumba, said that the new Political-Administrative Division (DPA) is opportune and will create conditions for a better approximation of citizens to political decision-making centres.
The politician, who recently spoke in defense of the implementation of the new Law, underlined that it will not be enough to increase the number of municipalities for everything to happen positively and automatically, having supported the conclusion of the process of transferring competences from the ministries and provincial governments to the municipal administrations.
He also highlighted the guarantee of an adequate response capacity to provide a more efficient public service to the population and encourage the settlement of inhabitants in certain parts of the national territory as advantages of the DPA.
“It is also essential to reinforce the mechanisms for citizen participation in governance and thus improve public services at the municipal level, through a frank, open, assertive and unprejudiced dialogue”, he assured.
UNITA wants influence in municipalities
UNITA’s provincial secretary, Augusto Samuel, said that the Executive should now proceed with the institutionalization of municipalities, because, he said, what is wanted is administrative decentralization and not deconcentration.
“For us, it doesn’t matter how many municipalities the Executive intends to create, but that they are able to facilitate the entry of municipalities. If the idea is to solve the problems of regional asymmetries, autonomy is the best way to approach governance”, he said.
FNLA is skeptical
For the provincial secretary of the FNLA, Mbemba Simão, there is no need to expand the province of Huíla with another 25 municipalities (currently it has 14), if it is not possible to have infrastructure conditions in many of the current locations. He reinforced that the State must create, first, the conditions in these communes and then think about whether they have the capacity to become municipalities.
PRS defends more investments
Júlia Kaquene, secretary of the PRS in the province, fears the lack of investment in future administrations and the minimum conditions that a municipality must have, as she emphasizes that there are currently municipalities with a lack of social services.
“For the party, this initiative could delay the municipalities. The bet should be on developing the existing municipalities further, then thinking about a division, since the country’s development is still weak”, he noted.
PHA believes that other priorities should be considered
For the deputy provincial responsible for the PHA, Manuel Joaquim Hongo, the implementation would not yet be a priority, due to the numerous difficulties verified in the existing municipalities, with a lack of basic social services in the communities.
He also considered it more opportune to evaluate the proposal after the next elections.
Features of the province of Huila
With an estimated population of three million 282 thousand 968 inhabitants, the province of Huíla currently has 14 municipalities, with this number expected to be increased to 39, in case of approval.
The proposed Law for the New Political-Administrative Division of the country aims to promote the harmonious development of the national territory. It should go to Parliament after approval of the final version by the Council of Ministers.
The project proposes to change the State’s model of municipality, approved by the Council of Ministers, with the division of the provinces of Cuando Cubango and Moxico into two, thus making 20 provinces and an increase from 164 to 581 municipalities.
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