adminSifundiso Ndlovu Chronicle Reporter
COUNCILS have been urged to anchor their strategic plans and operations on the Zimbabwe Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset), the country’s economic blueprint set to guide development for the next five years.
Addressing the Association of Rural District Councils (ARDCZ) congress held in Bulawayo last week, the principal director for Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation in the President’s Office, Albert Chikondo, said councils should ensure that their strategic plans were in line with Zim-Asset.
“Zim-Asset is a national policy guideline and as council you cannot function outside it,” said Chikondo.
He noted that budgets, results based management and financing of capital projects were the critical areas that needed to be urgently aligned to the economic blueprint.
“Councils must draw their funds primarily from domestic sources before they think of international funding as stated in Zim-Asset. This means that councils must think outside the box and make maximum use of local resources available in their respective areas,” said Chikondo.
Most councils continue to face challenges with the sewer systems, road maintenance and provision of clean and safe water which have been attributed to mismanagement and misplaced priorities.
Chikondo told delegates at the meeting that the days of the “business as usual” approach were over as Zim-Asset demanded results.
“We now have check and balances and chief executive officers will be on performance related contracts. It is important that your budgets are realistic and all set objectives are achievable and take into account all available resources, said Chikondo.
ARDCZ president David Mutasa concurred saying he would ensure that all councils understood the importance of embracing Zim-Asset.
“If councils understand that they should not be complaining about depressed revenues when they have a lot of resources lying idle. Many councils have not put in place proper data collection systems and as such some residents are not paying rates,” said Mutasa.
He observed that Zim-Asset came at an opportune time and if implemented, service delivery would improve.
“I am particularly pleased with result based management as this will ensure that CEOs improve their performance.
“In the spirit of Zim-Asset we will also ensure that our rates are uniform. At times some councils lost business as a result of charging different fees for the same service,” said Mutasa.
Councils fall into the infrastructural development and utilities cluster of Zim-Asset.
Online Reporter