The paper argues for urban governance by the city council over urban management of Gaborone by central government. Since 1965 the city has been one of the fastest growing in the world. In the first phase of nation building and modernization, central government needed to centralize power and control the management of its capital city. Since then deconcentration of management and decentralization of political power have become necessary--to improve the delivery and productivity of urban services, and to promote community participation and local democracy. However, Gaborone city council has become an arena for national party politics, and its bureaucracy has not become responsible to local needs and aspirations.
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