Gaborone, Botswana Government
Government
Local government
Gaborone is controlled by the Gaborone City Council, the richest council in Botswana. It is made up of 35 councilors representing the neighborhoods of Gaborone. The Municipalities Act mandates the structure of local governments in Botswana. Because Botswana is a unitary state, the power of local councils is delegated to the national level. The Ministry of Local Government, Land and Housing has an important influence in terms of staffing and training, budgeting and development planning. The city commission style council is headed by the city clerk and the city deputy secretary. The city is governed by the mayor, deputy mayor, and several committees in charge of councilors: the committee financial effects and in general, public health, the social welfare and housing committee, the self-help housing agency management committee, the city planning committee, the business license committee, and the education committee. The councilors elect the mayor in a first past the post system and place each other on the annual commissions. The council has 2,515 employees.
An income tax called the Local Government Tax that used to be the main source of revenue for the city council, but was abolished. Today, the city council derives most of its income from property fees. Councilors believe that due to recurring obligations, they have little room to institute new solutions. The city council has been criticized by the Botswana Association of Local Authorities for its closed elections and minimal authority.
In 2010, the council had problems with waste management: FRENIC, the waste management company contracted by the city, sued the Gaborone City Council for unpaid compensation. This has resulted in an accumulation of uncollected garbage. Haskins Nkaigwa, the mayor of Gaborone as of 2011, has emphasized the importance of greater local autonomy. He advocates for a stronger city council with the power to determine budgets and hire and fire employees and officials.
National government
Gaborone is the political center of Botswana. Most of the government buildings are located west of the main mall, in an area known as the Government Enclave. The National Assembly of Botswana, the Ntlo ya Dikgosi, the National Archives, the Department of Tax and Construction Chambers Attorney General and the Ministry of Health. Near the entrance to the parliament building, there is a statue of Sir Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana, as well as a monument dedicated to the three hundred Batswana who were assassinated from 1939 to 1945. Another memorial pays tribute to the Botswana Defense Force soldiers who died in the Rhodesian Bush war.
Before 1982, Gaborone held a parliamentary constituency, a seat in the Parliament of Botswana. From 1982 to 1993, Botswana was divided into two groups, Gaborone North and Gaborone South. A third seat in Parliament was given to a member elected by the entire city of Gaborone. In January 1993, two new groups were created: Western Gaborone and Central Gaborone. For the local government elections, the four groups were divided into rooms. Gaborone North had seven, Gaborone West had seven. Central Gaborone was six years old, and South Gaborone was five. In 2002 The city had five districts: North Gaborone, Central Gaborone, South Gaborone, Northwest Gaborone, and Southwest Gabororone. The International Law Enforcement Academy was established on July 24, 2000 in Gaborone. The academy would train the middle managers of the Southern African Development Community countries.
There are 21 diplomatic missions in Gaborone.
Culture and art
The National Museum and Art Gallery is located northwest of the mall along the Independence Route. The museum opened in 1968 – It has many things from traditional crafts to works of art by local artists. The museum features original paintings by Thomas Baines and Lucas Sithole. Exhibits include Artists in Botswana, Children’s Art Contest, and Thapong International. Outside of the museum, there are various forms of transportation, such as wagons, sleds, and Bakkies. There is also an exhibition on the Bushmen, the first residents of southern Africa. The museum opened a 3.6 hectare botanical gardencalled in the National Botanical Garden on November 2, 2007. The garden was built to protect the life of indigenous Botswana plants, and 90% of its total plant species are native Botswana plants.
The Maitisong Festival started in 1987 and is held each year for seven days, both the last week of March or the first week of April. The festival offers open-air concerts, plays and films in different areas of the city. “My African Dream” is a performing arts competition held each year at the Gaborone International Convention Center. The show features manykwaito dancers and musicians.
The book series, Detective Agency 1 Ladies’ N, is located in Gaborone. According to andyeducation, the series is written by Alexander McCall Smith. The books follow Ramotswe Precious, the first female private detective in Botswana, and the mysteries she solves.
