Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke-Municipal Correspondent
THE Government is insisting on measurable service delivery outcomes from councils, which are now expected to play a more central role in the country’s development agenda, Local Government and Public Works Permanent Secretary Dr John Basera has said.
This comes as President Mnangagwa launched the Citizens Engagement and Scoring Platform on Thursday, which will see residents rate local authorities in terms of service delivery in eight service categories — water; sanitation; solid waste management; roads and pothole management; corporate governance; health and environment; housing; and social amenities.
In his address at the 2025 Local Authorities Performance Evaluation Feedback Session last week, Dr Basera said the Government was transitioning from the first phase of local governance reforms, known as “Call to Action 1: No compromise to service delivery”, to a more demanding second phase dubbed “Call to Action 2: Scale up for impact — Creating Vision 2030 service delivery”.
The new phase places emphasis on tangible service delivery outcomes and positions local authorities as critical drivers of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and attainment of Vision 2030.
“We are transitioning from setting up administrative structures to enforcing aggressive high-impact service outcomes,” he said.
According to Dr Basera, the first phase of local governance reforms focused on addressing structural, administrative and planning deficiencies that had hindered local authorities for years.
The Government directed councils to prepare master plans, update valuation rolls, implement enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and strengthen governance mechanisms to improve revenue collection, accountability and long-term planning.
All 92 local authorities have since drafted and submitted master plans, of which 75 have already been approved by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe.
Similarly, they have also submitted valuation rolls, with 78 having already received ministerial approval.
Every local authority now has a functional ERP system, although implementation levels vary.
Revenue collection efficiency across local authorities has improved from 52 percent to 65 percent, while efforts to reduce non-revenue water losses are beginning to yield results.
The 14-point road map
At the centre of “Call to Action 2” is a comprehensive 14-point programme developed during a ministerial strategic retreat in Nyanga recently.
The first priority is the accelerated implementation of minimum service delivery standards established through Statutory Instrument (SI) 170 of 2025 and reinforced by SI 69 of 2026.
The standards cover eight key service delivery areas — water production and distribution; wastewater management; environmental stewardship; public health; public safety; road maintenance; urban renewal; and governance.
The Government expects every local authority to meet these minimum standards as the baseline for service delivery.
The second priority is the establishment of a Local Government Institute to strengthen professional capacity, leadership development and institutional effectiveness within councils.
Third is the introduction of a rewards and sanctions framework that will assess local authorities based on performance.
Dr Basera indicated that councils that perform well will receive incentives, while underperforming authorities will face penalties.
The framework is expected to be operationalised through ministerial directives.
This follows concerns raised by President Mnangagwa during recent performance evaluations, where local authorities were identified as one of the weakest links in the implementation of Government programmes.
Another major pillar of the new programme is the alignment of council budgets with service delivery priorities.
The Government is insisting on strict adherence to the 70:30 expenditure policy, which requires councils to allocate at least 70 percent of their revenues towards service delivery and infrastructure development.
The policy seeks to reverse situations where councils spend large portions of their budgets on administration while neglecting critical services.
The ministry has also imposed restrictions on unnecessary workshops, travel and non-essential expenditure.
The Government, Dr Basera said, had observed instances where councils struggled to procure water treatment chemicals while continuing to spend money on workshops, travel and vehicle purchases.
Under the new approach, resources must be directed towards projects that directly improve citizens’ lives.
The road map also prioritises strengthening municipal police systems.
The Government believes improved municipal policing will enhance order, improve compliance with council by-laws and create additional revenue streams through enforcement mechanisms.
Citizen engagement has also emerged as a key pillar of the reforms.
The Government wants local authorities to improve communication with residents and ensure citizens play an active role in governance and service delivery oversight.
The initiative complements broader Government efforts to strengthen participatory governance and accountability.
Formalising settlements
One of the most ambitious aspects of “Call to Action 2” is the regularisation and formalisation of informal settlements.
Local authorities have been tasked with leading the process under the “end beneficiary principle”, which aims to bring unplanned settlements into formal municipal systems through the provision of roads, water, sewer infrastructure and legal recognition.
The Government believes the initiative will improve living conditions while expanding council’s revenue base.
Dr Basera said formalisation would enable local authorities to collect rates and service charges from previously unregulated settlements, generating additional resources for service delivery.
The strategy reflects the Government’s view that sustainable service delivery depends on strong revenue collection systems.
The road map also seeks to strengthen resource mobilisation through innovative financing mechanisms.
The Government is encouraging councils to explore municipal bonds and other financing instruments to fund infrastructure development.
Local authorities are also being urged to maintain audited financial statements to improve their creditworthiness and attract investment.
Councils that lack audited accounts, Dr Basera added, struggle to access funding because financial institutions view them as high-risk borrowers.
By improving financial management and accountability, councils can unlock new sources of capital for development projects.
Perhaps the most transformative element of “Call to Action 2” is the Government’s push for greater private sector involvement in municipal services.
Dr Basera cited Harare’s waste management model as an example of successful private sector participation.
The city introduced private contractors to support refuse collection and solid waste management, resulting in significant improvements.
The Government now wants the model replicated across all urban local authorities.
Similarly, the partnership between the City of Harare and Helcraw Water in water production and distribution is being viewed as an ideal model.
According to Dr Basera, water production in Harare has increased substantially under the arrangement, with the Government targeting even higher output levels in the coming months.
The strategy reflects a broader policy shift towards public-private partnerships as a means of accelerating service delivery and infrastructure development.
For the Government, “Call to Action 2” represents a decisive push towards achieving Vision 2030 through improved local governance and service delivery.
Dr Basera made it clear that councils now have the tools, systems and frameworks required to succeed and that the focus has shifted from planning to performance.
“Stage 2 leaves no room for excuses. The tools have been provided; master plans are ready and revenue collection systems are in place. Now we demand results on the ground. We demand impact on the ground,” he said.
