Kenya: Local Authorities Reform Plan Underway - Reforms in the local authorities are inevitable if the country is to achieve its development objectives, key among them ability to attract investors. [AA Urbanisation]

South Africa: Municipalities Must Have Blue Drop Status by 2010 - All municipalities must have a Blue Drop certificate ahead of 2010. [AA Urbanisation]

South Africa: R6.6 Million Paid to Contractor Without Permission - The city council's standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) has recommended corrective action against at least three of its officials involved in the payment of R6,6-million to a contractor without council permission. [AA Construction]

Zimbabwe: Harare Residents Call For Garbage Trucks Instead of Luxury Cars - Residents in Harare have this week lashed out at the Council over the purchase of a luxury car for Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda, arguing the money would be better spent on garbage trucks to help clean up the city. [AA Urbanisation]

South Africa: New 'Delivery Unit' Will Keep a Watch On Faltering Councils - THE government was setting up a delivery unit in the Presidency to prop up faltering municipalities, Collins Chabane, the minister responsible for monitoring and evaluation in the Presidency, said last night. [AA Urbanisation]

Zimbabwe: City in U.S.$100 Million Tender Scam - The City of Harare has dragged itself into a procurement scandal after it hired a Ukrainian investment company to construct Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Expressway, commonly known as Airport Road -- expected to chew US$100 million -- without going to tender and later appointed a company with links to key city authorities to manage the project. [AA Construction]

Uganda: Kira Town Council Opposes Take-Over - KIRA councillors have petitioned Parliament over the proposed expansion of Kampala district. The councillors, led by their speaker, Betty Naluyima, argued that including Kira town council in the boundaries of the city would violate the 1995 Constitution. [AA Urbanisation]

South Africa: System Allows Politicians to Engineer Municipal Downfall - THE continued meltdown of municipal systems is deeply troubling. Local government provides, or should provide, some of the most essential public services: water, sanitation, electricity, roads, recreation facilities, and the settlements in which people must create their homes. [AA Urbanisation]

Uganda: Govt Rejects Referendum Proposal on City Takeover - The government has rejected the opposition's proposal for a referendum to determine the government's plan to extend Kampala boundaries and take over its administration [AA Urbanisation]

Zimbabwe: Time to Call 'Curtains' on Town House Circus - Harare Mayor Mr Muchadeyi Masunda this week raised two important inter-linked issues regarding local authority governance: that of the eligibility or qualification criteria for both elected and appointed councillors, and the efficacy or effectiveness of democracy at local government level. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: City Water Board Sent Packing - The entire board of the Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company was on Wednesday sent packing over alleged mismanagement. [AA Urbanisation]

Kenya: Striking Workers Evict Town Clerk - The eagerly awaited mayoral election in Malindi has been thrown into disarray following the eviction from office last week of the Town Clerk Mr Peter King'oina by striking workers. [AA Urbanisation]

Zambia: Chipata Council Fraud Laid Bare - THE Chipata Municipal Council has unearthed a scam in which some employees in the accounts department have defrauded the local authority of millions of Kwacha through non-banking and issuing of fake receipts. [AA Urbanisation]