Local government

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Helen's pain is improving, and this afternoon she managed to clamber through a warren of rocky alleyways to reach the local chief’s house. It is two tiny rooms, part of a complex of rooms where the extended family also lives. He makes a living as a cook in the International Court. A year ago he was elected by 500 votes to be chief for life for this area of several thousand people. Every Sunday afternoon he hears disputes in the veranda shown, with a policeman in attendance. In a month’s time we are to be invited to attend (and contribute handsomely to!) his coronation ceremony, after which he expects to be paid for his work.

Before we left we raised three issues of public concern with him:
1. Huge pile of garbage just below the children’s home where the street school is
2. Lack of a street standpipe for the many scores of children who draw water daily from a leaking pipe in a back yard
3. Increasingly loud, and sleep-preventing weekly all night prayer meetings broadcast by 3 members of a nearby church

As he walked us back to our house he raised the topics with about 20 people we met, and came to an agreement on each of them. On each issue he also appointed someone to take some action on the matter. It was fascinating to watch African consensus government, not democracy taking place.