About Kenema District Council
STRATEGIC FEATURES OF
KENEMA DISTRICT COUNCIL
Kenema District Council is one of the 22 Local Councils in Sierra Leone and located in the eastern part of the country. It shares borders with Tonkolili and Kono in the North, Kailahun District in the East, Pujehun in the Southeast and Bo to the West and bordering the Republic of Liberia to the South. The district covers approximately a total land area of 6,053km2 with a population of 609,873 of which an estimated 49.4% are male and 50.6% female. Some major towns in the district are Tongo, Blama, Boajibu, Tungea Gorama, Ngegbema, Golahun, and Largo. It has 16 Chiefdoms and 25 Wards with high population density due to its huge mining and business opportunities. It also has huge untapped economic potentials in the agricultural sector. The district is composed of many ethnic groups but the major ones include: Mende, Temne, Limba, Mandingo and Fulla; however, other tribes also exist like Susu, Kissy etc. The district also has non -Sierra Leoneans like Nigerians, Guineans, Liberians, Malians etc.
The Mendes however are the dominant ethnic group followed by Fullas. Within the framework of devolution, Kenema District Council is the highest political authority in the locality and has legislative and executive powers.
It is headed by a chairman who is democratically elected and enjoys a 2-four-year term in office as provided for in the Local Government Act of 2004. It has 16 Chiefdoms, 94 sections and 33 Villages, each of which has long established traditional Chieftaincy for Local Administration. In addition, the district has 8 constituencies and 25 wards. All 16 chiefdoms are governed by Paramount Chiefs. The Government’s representative in the district is the District Officer (DO), whose main responsibility is to serve as liaison between the Government and the district authorities (the council and chiefdoms) on all administrative matters relating to the Government and more importantly, to oversee the operations of the chiefdoms.
The Chairman provides political leadership for the governance of the council and is supported by 25 councillors and 3 representatives of paramount chiefs who serve as a legislative arm and oversight of the administration. The administration is headed by the Chief Administrator and it comprises 14 core staff, 10 support staff, 6 volunteers and 25 ad hoc staff who are mainly revenue collectors.
Given the need to promote good governance and democracy, transparency and accountability, improve service delivery, develop the local economy; promote inclusiveness and equality of lives of all community members regardless of their gender, the central government reintroduced decentralised system of governance, materialised in 2004, after the enactment of the Local Government Act by the Sierra Leone Parliament. The arrangement for transfer of service delivery obligations from central to local communities was corroborated by deconvolution strategic ministries, including Education, Primary Health, Social services, Water Resources, Agriculture, Youth and sport and fire Force.
These devolved ministries are part of the council and therefore accountable to the council. Funds from the central government for the delivery of services in these devolved sectors are transferred to the councils for onward disbursement to the sectors. For each devolved sector, there is an oversight committee comprising of selected councillors combined with sector professionals. Again, it ensures effective and efficient accountability to the people of Sierra Leone. From the structural arrangement, a qualified, experienced and forward-looking chairman could add value to the effective and efficient running of the council.
The Climate and Vegetation
The vegetation and climatic conditions of Kenema is characteristic of the equatorial forest region with a mean monthly temperature ranging from twenty-five to twenty-seven degree centigrade. It has a wet semi-equatorial climate with two seasons- raining season and dry season. The rainy season lasts for about six months, usually starting in April until the end of October while the dry season runs from November to March. Due to recent climate change challenges, this natural seasonal schedule is no longer consistent, causing some serious problems for poor farmers who depend on rain-fed agricultural activities. The main vegetation types are a combination of secondary farm bush, grassland, mangrove and inland valley swamps, all of which supports the agricultural system in the district at different crop seasons. Apart from agriculture and mining, a large part of the district’s population depends on bio-diversity and forest products for food, fuel (fuelwood and charcoal), construction materials, crafts, medicinal plants, recreational materials (such as raffia, ornaments), spices, perfumes, poisons, composts, herbicides and insecticides. Despite the intense human activities in mining, logging and slash and burn agriculture, the district is still rich and diverse in biodiversity and environmental resources.
Natural Resources
Kenema district is endowed with diamond and gold among other natural resources. These economic potentials provide the basis for migration from other part of the country to Kenema district. As a matter of fact, the mining sector is critical to providing job opportunities for the unemployed youths not only in the district but the country as a whole. Particularly, gold mining is largely done by women and it contributes immensely to local economic development and a source of livelihood in the district. The diamond offices and mining companies serve as major sources (or potential sources) of revenue for the council. In particular, mining in Kenema District is concentrated in Lower Bambara, Wandor, Bojabu and Kandu Leppiema Chiefdoms, mainly for diamonds. The full mineral potential of the district is still to be explored even though there are illegal mining activities along the river banks and valley swamps deposits. Sand and stone mining and timber logging are other sources of revenue for the council.
Agriculture
Agriculture is the largest economic sector in the district with more than half of the population of Kenema District depending on it as their main source of livelihood. Thus, economic growth and poverty reductions are sustained with development in this sector as the district is endowed with huge areas of cultivable land (mainly, upland and inland valley swamps). The expansion and growth of this sector in the district will certainly stimulate growth in other sector like the supply of input, job creation, marketing and agro- processing. In Kenema District, the production of rice is key to support livelihood. Many families are engaged in subsistence farming as mainstay for income and livelihood. Realizing the high dependence on agriculture in the district, a lot of efforts have been made by council, the devolved ministries and development partners to rehabilitate and develop inland valley swamps, provide inputs, functionalize the ABCs, provide access to loan for farmers, provide processing equipment, restocking of small ruminant and other livestock for rearing, providing routine treatment for livestock, etc. However, a lot more needs to be done if the district should realize its full potential from agricultural productions. The operations of the devolved Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS) in the district have five major divisions- crops, livestock, extension, forestry and agricultural engineering, each of which has a functional head. At the chiefdom level, there are Block Extension Supervisors that oversee the zonal divisions. Also, there freshwater fishing going on in the district due to the many rivers around. The district has wildlife species management system within the Gola Forest and has been tourist attraction zone for ages.
Water Resources, Sanitation and Hygiene
Even though the district is endowed with favourable climate, high rainfall, good natural vegetation, and numerous rivers, harnessing water resources is a serious challenge, making access to basic water and sanitation facilities in the district very difficult. This is compounded by the limited functional infrastructure for water supply as well as the exponential increase in population in the district.
The aftermath of acute shortage water supply situation makes people to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as fetching water from inappropriate sources including unprotected wells and running streams. Water from these sources is neither treated nor is its quality monitored. In addition, fetching water from far away sources is a burden to women and children. Their increasing deployment for fetching water, particularly during the dry season seriously undermines children’s fragile health and education prospects, while for the women, it reduces farm productivity and other income generating performance levels. Sanitation situation is also unsatisfactory, a good percentage of the population use pit latrines, bucket, bush, river and stream for human waste disposal. This situation poses serious health and environmental problems in communities and the district. The district particularly lacks proper sewage and refuse disposal facilities thus contributing to the high incidence of water-borne diseases, malaria and typhoid. Solid waste disposal is also a challenge as most household dump refuse on roadsides in drainages and backyards. The council thus, through the water directorate has embarked on providing water wells ( hand-dug and borehole) for communities and ensure that these well are chlorinated year-in year-out. Gravity wager system is another source facility in the district
Roadworks and Infrastructure
Road network is a strategic element in driving development programmes and ensuring local economic growth in the district. It actually provides the basis for the smooth execution of all sector activities across the district. Therefore, the rehabilitation and maintenance of feeder roads have been devolved to council. The Road Maintenance Fund Administration has been providing funds to council to undertake this function. Funding support from RMFA seeks to spot-improve feeder roads in the district to link farmers and traders to the various markets and other facilities. Most feeder roads in the district are in deplorable conditions due to broken culverts and bridges coupled with numerous potholes and exposed rock outcrop on their surfaces. Spot improvement of feeder roads (i.e., construction of bridges and culverts) enhances physical accessibility in the district thereby contributing to social economic activities. The council as well makes provision, each financial year, under own revenue performance, to support feeder road maintenance (Spot improvement, construction culvert and bridges), as complement to funds received from RMFA and central government.
In summary, the council as a subnational government institution takes pre-eminence over all opportunities in the district and ensure that services are provided in line with the hopes and aspiration of people within the locality. The council savours participatory approach in all spheres of its operations including development planning, budgeting and service delivery. The operations of development partners in the district are well synergised and aligned with council development action plan.