Online Reporter
Diana Nherera
Herald Reporter
THE City of Masvingo is set to enhance citizen participation in local governance through the training of its newly established Stakeholder Budget Committee, a move aimed at promoting transparency, accountability and inclusivity in public financial management.
In a statement, City of Masvingo spokesperson Ms Ashleigh Jinjika said the committee, which brings together representatives from residents’ associations, the business community, Government Ministries, youths, women’s groups, religious organisations, and other special interest groups, is a key platform designed to institutionalise citizen involvement in council budgeting processes.
“The initiative reflects the city’s broader commitment to inclusive governance and responsive service delivery,” read the statement.
Ms Jinjika said the training programme is being supported under the Good Governance in Local Authorities (GGLA) project implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
She said it is co-funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European union and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
Ms Jinjika said Masvingo is among 20 local authorities benefitting from the programme, which seeks to strengthen gender-equitable, transparent and accountable governance systems in Zimbabwe.
She said that while the committee has been established with clear terms of reference, its effectiveness depends on the capacity of its members to understand key aspects of public financial management.
“These include the budget cycle, governance structures, consultation strategies and monitoring mechanisms,” said Ms Jinjika.
She said the workshop will focus on equipping participants with practical knowledge and skills to actively contribute to budgeting processes.
“Key areas of training will include understanding the budget cycle and governance framework, roles of council and management, stakeholder engagement and feedback mechanisms and monitoring and reviewing budget performance.
“Participants will also take part in reviewing City of Masvingo’s 2026 first quarter budget performance, providing an opportunity to apply their learning in a real governance context,” said Ms Jinjika.
She said the training will adopt a participatory approach, featuring case studies from other local authorities in the country and international best practices, group exercises and role plays designed to strengthen consultation and decision-making skills.
“Forty-five participants are attending the workshop, including 23 Stakeholder Budget Committee members, 13 councillors and nine members of council management.
“This initiative marks a significant step towards deepening democratic participation at local level, ensuring that residents have a meaningful voice in how public resources are allocated and managed,” said Ms Jinjika.
