By: Kananelo Maphenchane

MASERU

In an effort to better connect with the residents of Maseru city, better understand their needs, and address their complaints, the Maseru city council has taken to the villages surrounding the city of Maseru to talk to the residents in order to improve service delivery.

The campaign started off at Lifelekoaneng, Ha Mabote, where residents came in numbers to raise their concerns and also receive services from different government and non-government organizations present. Some of the prominent organisations present were MCC Health, Lere Pest Control and Cleaning, Mukuru, IEC, LAA, Home Affairs, LNIG Hollard, Metropolitan Lesotho, InsureCare, Baylor Clinic, LMPS, PEPFAR, and Finite Magazine.

Mr. ‘Moea Makhakhe from the office of the town clerk, who is also the secretary of the Maseru City Council, said that the council advised itself to bring services to the public for a whole week each month. He urged the residents to make use of this opportunity to talk to the present public service providers and also get help with whatever services they may need, be it safety and security, roads infrastructure or even the public lights installed in the village.

The Maseru city Mayor, Motlalepula Sepipi, said that he is aware of some questions and queries that arise within the constituencies, that the council may not always be able to properly address.

“With this Campaign Community that we’re hosting at Ha Mabote for the whole week, I urge you as a community to use this opportunity. We have some very big organizations among us that directly answer your needs. If you have problems with your land, there are people to help you with that. Let us use them and ask questions we have been asking the councilors.”

A voter educator from the Independent Electoral Commission, Moshoeshoe Nthaji, gave a brief description of services they offer, which included voter registration, voter education and allocation of seats in the government. He then urged those who have not been registered yet, who are over the age of 18, to go to the nearest I.E.C workstation to get themselves registered.

The MCC health inspector, Makhotsa Makae, advised the public to not dispose of their waste in public spaces, or even burn plastic waste in their yards, because this causes pollution that can put the health of other residents at risk. He further warned the livestock owners to keep their animals clean and within their yards so as not to damage their neighbours’ properties and also observe good hygiene.