admin
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
ZIMBABWE’S Vision of an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 is right on track and rural district councils have a mandate to play to ensure that the target is attained, Local Government and Public Works Minister, Winston Chitando, has said.
Minister Chitando was addressing finance directors and auditors of rural district councils across the country in Kariba yesterday during the Association of Rural District Councils of Zimbabwe (ARDCZ)’s conference aimed at finding solutions to the running of councils’ finances.
He said local authorities should strive to implement targets set out in the recently launched service delivery blueprint as there was no turning back on the aspirations of attaining Vision 2030.
The Local Authority Service Delivery Blueprint was launched by President Mnangagwa in November and seeks to address some of the hold-ups for improved service delivery across the country’s urban and rural councils.
The President has emphasised that every government ministry should come up with a road map that is in sync with Vision 2030.
“Zimbabwe is in an irreversible trend to achieve an upper-middle-income economy and it is quite important to note that when Zimbabwe attains this, the local authority that you are in is not managed well, it will be below this vision (2030).
“Every local authority has to be managed so that Vision 2030 is achieved and the President, Cde Mnangagwa is saying we shouldn’t leave no place and person behind. Our job in the local authority as ARDCZ is to work together to ensure that no place or person is left behind,” Minister Chitando said.
The Minister said the roadmap set by the blueprint has shaken local authorities’ leadership to action, with finance directors and internal auditors expected to work extra hard to ensure that there is improved service delivery.
He also urged rural councils to embrace Information Technology and modernise revenue collection systems.
“Without good systems of internal control, nothing works and these systems are run by finance people. We also have to make sure that we have good balance sheets so that local authorities are considering funding from financial institutions”. Minister Chitando added that while Zimbabwe had set the Vision 2030 target, with growth expected to be improved, the development of the economy, societies, and settlements was a process that needed careful planning.
“We will achieve Vision 2030 and this is not an overnight event but the process has to be planned. Vision 2030 is not only justified by income per capita, it is also defined by the services provided and infrastructure provided that should sync with an upper-middle-income economy.”
He called on local councils to desist from working in silos adding that there was a symbiotic relationship between his Ministry and them.
ARDCZ president, Mr Golden Shamu, said: “We need to do everything compliant with the law so that everything supports the vision of the President. All local authorities should be whipped into line to the national cause to make sure every resident derives service from local authorities.”
He also called on rural councils to explore other avenues to improve revenue inflows and development including improved tax and levies collection efficiency and entering public-private partnerships.
ARDCZ was committed to ensuring that it improves service delivery to meet Vision 2030.
Online Reporter