Association Overview

After the local election in 1992, a concrete effort was made to bring all municipalities of the Kingdom of Nepal under a single banner by establishing an association of municipalities. All Mayors and Deputy Mayors gathered in Pokara in 1993 to discuss for the establishment of a leading body of all Nepalese municipalities. The second meeting of Mayors held in Banepa in 1994 proved to be a milestone to pave the way in the process of formalizing Municipal Association of Nepal (MuAN). The approval of MuAN Constitution by Constituent Assembly (1995), held in Lalitpur, formalized MuAN as an apex body of all 58 municipalities of Nepal. The first and second General Assemblies held in Mahendranagar (1996) and Hetauda (1997) respectively amended some clauses in the Constitution. Throughout 1994 to 1996, MuAN merely played advocacy role to influence the central government on some legal issues. Since 1997 onward the role and function of MuAN have been expanded in the areas of promoting international relations and providing technical advice and counseling to member municipalities.

Vision

Develop MuAN as an organization capable to work for overall development and common interest of municipal governments in the spirit of decentralization and good governance.

Organization Development Objective

MuAN achieves its strategic objectives through the following campaigns

• At the local government level as an empowering agent amongst municipalities;
• At the central government level as a negotiating partner for creating a legal and regulatory framework favourable to local self-governance in general and good urban governance in particular; and  
• At the international level by networking with other municipal associations and networks.

Long term Strategies of MuAN

• Development of effective information sharing mechanism
• Human Resource Development
• Consolidation and strengthening institutional capacities
• Building and maintaining corresponding relationships with concerned bodies for the effective implementation of decentralization
• Build on more corresponding relationships with the stakeholders
• Develop collaboration and partnership with other donor organizations
• Promotion of good governance
• Creation of pressure and advocacy at the policy making level

Institutional Framework

All 58 municipalities (including one metropolitan city, four sub-metropolitan cities and 53 municipalities) of the Kingdom of Nepal are the members of MuAN. MuAN is a democratic association with each member municipality representing in the General Assembly (GA). All Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Ward Chairpersons deputed accord to the MuAN Constitution by the municipalities represent in the GA. The GA meets annually to set budgetary, policies and program priorities and discusses specific issues. The GA elects MuAN's Working Committee (WC) comprising 21 members (including 15 elected and 6 nominated with minimum one woman member by the Chairman) for a tenure of two and half years from among the member municipalities. The WC meets as required and oversees the implementation of the policies and program priorities established by GA. The WC forms a Secretariat comprising seven members selected from within the WC, which manages the day-to-day activities of MuAN. There is an Executive Secretary appointed by the Working Committee to execute the day to day works of the Secretariat.