REPORT OF THE PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE YEARS 19.60... 1961 REPORT OF THE PERM~~ENT SECRETARY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR THE YEARS 1960 AND 1961 THE HoN. MINISTER FOR L ocAL GovERNMENT, NAfROBI. SIR. have the honour to report as follows :- LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT AT THE END OF 196L The foll owing constituted the seni or staff of the Ministry of Local Govern­ ment : Deputy Secretary for Local Government : Mr. A. Altorfer, F.S.A.A., A.I.M.T.A. (Acting). Assistant Secretaries: Mr. J . S. Macartney, Mr. R. A. M. Birkett. Mr. J. M. B. Butler. Principal Local Government Financial Officer: Mr. H. C. Seely, A. I.M.T.A. (Acting). Senior Local Government Financial Officers: Mr. H. C. Seely, A. I. M.T.A.; Mr. J. O. England, A. l.M.T.A.; Mr. R. E. Dietrich, A.I. M.T.A.; Mr. R. W. Bowes, A. I.M .T.A.; Mr. M. A. Higgs, A.l.T.M.A.; Mr. K. Brierly, A.l.M.T.A.; Mr. C. P. Followes, A.I.M.T.A.; Mr. L. Smith, A.I.M.T.A.: Mr. K. W. L. Mu toe, A.l.M.T.A.; Mr. R. W. Midcalf, A.I.M.T.A., A.S.A.A.; Mr. D. C. MacDonald, A. I. M.T.A.: Mr. W. McDonald, A.l.M.T.A. Local Government F inancial Oflicers: M r. D. Hillyard, Mr. N. Nelson, Mr. G. W. J. Aston, Mr. H. F. White, Mr. O. T. F. Fonseca, Mr. P. Y. Bhardwaj, Mr. J. M. F. Lobo. STANDING COMMilîEES The Standing Committee for Local Government conlinued in being to exercise the various functions granted to it under section 8 of the Public Hcalth Ordinance. ln practice it bas not been found necessary to have recourse to the Committee, and amendmenl of the Public Hcalth Ordinance is only awaited to abolish the Committee entirely. The Advisory Committee on Local Government was consulted for advice on various aspects of local government in 1960, but because of the impending changes in Kenya's constitution, the Committee was not consulted during 1961. At present the Association of Local Government Authorities of Kenya adequately fills the gap in keeping the Ministry informed of local opinion. The Standing Committee for African District Councils was reconstituted as follows :- The Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government (Chairman). A representative of the Ministry of Finance and Development. A representative of the Chief Commissioner. The Hon. J. J. M. Nyagah, M.L.C. 2 The Hon. D. T. arap Moi, M.L.C. Mr. Joseph Mutiso. Mr. Josiah Njonjo. Mr. H. lsaya Ooyi Obunga. Mr. Julius Kitur. ÜTHER COMM IllE ES The Permanent Secretary for Local Government or his deputy was made or continued to be a member of the Water Resources Authority; The Mombasa Pipeline Board; The African ludustrial Estates Development Committee; The Raad Authority; The Advisory Council of Higher Education; The Local Government Loans Authority; The Nairobi District Preparatory Authority; The Central Authority (Development and Use of Land (Planning) Regulations); The Crown Estates Development Committee. LocAL GovERNMENT Three points are to be noted in the development of local government during 1960 and 1961- In 1961 a Sessional Paper No. 2 of 1961 on the Reconstitution of Local Authorities was laid before Legislative Council. The Report defined the require­ ments for alteration of local authority constitutions in relation to the decisions taken at the Kenya Constitutional Conference in 1960 and noted the need for a Local Government Service Commission. As a result of this Paper, a new Local Goveroment Bill incorporating most of the previous ordinances dealing with local government was drafted with the advice of representatives of local authorities. Secondly, by the end of 1961, nine African District Councils bad African Chairmen in place of District Commissioners, representing a considerable devo­ lution of the control of local affairs from central government to local autborities. Thirdly, the Ministry bas been actively considering ways and means of training local authority staff, in arder tbat they will be able to perforrn their work in a competent and efficient manner after the present expatriate staff or advice and assistance from expatriate central government staff bas been withdrawn. The groundwork bas been thoroughly prepared in 1961 for the initiation of training courses in 1962. Local Authorities The number of municipal authorities remained the same and included Nairobi City Council, the Municipal Council of Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret and Kisumu and the Municipal Board of Kitale. On the lst May, 1960, the Governor signed a proclamation declaring Kisumu to be a municipality under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Council as from lst November, 1960. Under L.N. 195 / 60 a new constitution was promulgated providing for 12 elected members and eight nominated members. T he constitution of the Municipality of Nakuru was altered in 1960 to allow for the election of three aldermen and 14 councillors with seven nominated councillors. (L.N. 163 / 60 and 165 of 1960). 3 The Eldoret Municipal Council constitution was amended in 1960 to allow for the election of a sixth Asian Councillor (L.N. 224/ 60) and in 1961 to authorize the election of three African Councillors in place of the two previously nominated Councillors, with the number of other nominated persans reduced from two to one (L.N. 596/61). The constitution of the K itale Municipal Board was altered in 1961 to allow for the election of three African Councillors, and the reduction of nominated Councillors from seven to five, while the numb"r of members representing the Kitale County Council was increased from one to two (L.N. 470/61 and 595 / 6 1). CouNTY AND CouNTY DISTRICT CouNCILS The organization of the Counties is as follows: ­ (a) Nairobi County- The County Council of Nairobi; the Urban District Councils of Thika and Nair obi ; and the Nairobi Western and Nairobi Eastern Rural District Councils. (b) Nakum County- The County Council of Nakuru; the Nakuru West Urban District Council; and the Nakuru West, Njoro, Rongai, Nakuru East and Ravine Rural District Councils. (c) Naivasha County- The County Council of Naivasha; The Naivasha Rural District Council; The Naivasba Urban D istrict Council; The Gilgil Urban and Rural District Council; The 01 Kalou Urban and Rural District Council. (d) Aberdare County- The Aberdare County Council; the Nyeri, Nanyuki and Thomson's Falls Urban District Councils; the Laikipia and Mount Kenya Rural District Councils. (e) Nyanza County- The Nyanza County Couocil; The Kericho Urban District Council: The Nyanza South and Nyanza North Rural District Councils. (/) Kitale Cotmly- The Kitale County Council; The Kitale Municipal Board ; The Trans Nzoia North and Trans Nzoia South Rural District Councils. (g) Uasin Gis/ut County- The Uasin Gishu County Council ; The Kipkabus-Lessos, Plateau­ Moiben, Say-Turbo Rural District Councils. The alterations in respect of schemes of administration of County Councils were: - (a) Nairobi Cowlly- L.N. 97/60 and 142/60. These notices altered the ward boundaries in mi nor respects and created a new ward of Daodora. The constitution of the Thika Urban District Counci1 was amended to provide for two European Councillors appointed by the Eastern Rural District Council, six European Councillors and four Asian Councillors by the County Council of Nairobi, the District Commissioner, Thika, and three Councillors to be appointed by the Minister for Local Government. (b) Naivasha Coun.Ly- Under L.N. 125 / 60 and LN. 521 / 60 amendments were made to the constitution providing for urban and rural district councils at Gilgil and 01 Kalou, and the election and nomination of Councillors thereto and in addition altering the constitution of the County Council to allow for 12 Nominated Councillors appointed in the ratio of three from eacb district council, three Government Officiais, three councillors appointed by the Minister for Local Government and three elected members. (c) A berdare Count y L.N. 486/ 60 amended the Ward boundaries and altered the names of the Eastern and Western Rural District Councils to Mt. Kenya and Laikipia Rural District Counci ls respectively. (d) Nakum County There were minor internai adjustments to the boundaries (L.N. 520/ 60). (e) Kitale County The constitution by L.N. 467/ 61 was varied by providing for two rural district councils and including the Kitale Municipal Board within the Scheme of County Administration. The Council's mernbers comprised 15 councillors appointed in the ratio of five from each of the two rural councils and the Kitale Municipal Board, and two Government officiais. AFRICAN D ISTRICT COUNCILS There are 32 African District Councils, six new Councils havings been constituted in the Northern Province in 1961, while the a rea of jurisdiction of the one existing Northern Province African District Çouncil of Garissa was extended to caver the Garissa administrative district. The Council s are located as follows: - Nyanza Province- African District Councils of Elgon Nyanza, North Nyanza. Central Nyanza, South Nyanza and Kipsigis. R i/t Valley Province- Afri;can District Councils of Nandi, Elgeyo•Marakwet, Baringo, Samburu and West Pokot. Central Province- African District Councils of Kiambu, Fort Hall, Nyeri, Embu, Meru and Mukogodo. Sou/hem Province- African D istrict Councils of Machakos, Kitui, Kajiado and Narok. Coast Province- African District Councils of Kilif'i, Kwale, Taita-Taveta, Tana River and Freretown. Nortlzem Province- African District Councils of Garissa, Isiolo, Marsabit, Turkana, Wajir, Mandera and MoyaJe. 5 By Legal Notice 673 / 61 the African District Council of South Nyanza was divided into two councils-South N yanza and Kisii. The order was to take effect on the Jst January, 1962. The African District Council of West Suk by L.N.