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By DR MASIMBA MAVAZA
Why do councils fail? What happens when they do?
As a political party, Zanu PF has over the years been grappling with the problem of councils’ failure to deliver good services to ratepayers.
While the ruling party has been asking itself questions on the continued deterioration of cities, the problem of shoddy service delivery has grown unabated.
It is not just Harare and Bulawayo alone but most urban councils in Zimbabwe have been limping and crawling after being abused and violated by the MDC led councillors. Ratepayers have watched helplessly while service delivery deteriorated over the years.
Council leadership have become less outward looking, more introspective, more defensive – they have developed narratives about themselves and their own performance which increasingly bear no relation to reality.
On the national stage we see the end product of this gradual slide when it escalates into the public domain – often precipitated by events that make no sense to outsiders. How was this allowed to happen? Failure seems so obvious and self-evident that we fool ourselves into believing that that we could not fall into the same trap and yet we eventually did.
We are worried that we do not have the mechanisms to deal consistently with councils’ failure – particularly as the risks (not only financial) continue to grow. This is because almost all the councils are under opposition political parties. Zanu PF needs to reclaim these cities from the opposition so that it can restore sanity in our towns.
Opposition is an articulation of the key factors that resulted in the monumental failure we now witness. Zanu PF needs to explore the current national landscape around failure and improvements and chart a course that allows for both Government and private sector intervention.
We recognise that many people have their own views on the failure of local authorities, and would naturally want to proffer solutions on the current problems. This is as a result of the unguarded social media which heaps MDC led council’s failures on the feet of Zanu PF.
Zanu PF is keen to hear people’s views. In towns, we are planning to refine and develop our thoughts on strengthened local governance, by speaking to a wide range of people involved in intervention at a local level. We want to establish what failure looks and feels like, and by so doing help others to recognise it and draw themselves back from the edge – particularly where the risks are imminent.
The electorate must not be fooled. The problems in our towns, where we have been taken fifty years back, is the work of the opposition. They want to blame their inefficiency on Zanu PF.
The MDC, which now have different splinters has been in charge of councils since 2002. We have suffered enough. There is need for a “thorough rethink” on how to approach monumental failure in local authorities as a result of the opposition lack of good leadership.
Methods of addressing failure in local government are “no longer fit for purpose”
There are four main types of failures which include a failure of culture, a failure of service, a failure of function and a failure of duty. The opposition led councils experiencing these types of failure often become less outward looking, more introspective and more defensive. The government’s recent experience of working with local authorities shows that it is time for a thorough rethink about council failures.
Failure in councils is not something that is going to go away – in fact, a range of looming pressures mean that the problem is likely to become more prevalent in the future unless the opposition is kicked out of the towns. Those in towns need to prepare for increased failure rate unless they remove MDC and Citizens Coalition for Change (C.C.C) councillors.
ZANU PF is clear that improved scrutiny processes at the local level will be crucial in this effort.”
The circumstances leading to failure – in councils as well as in the public sector more generally are poorly understood.
The impact of corporate collapse is always most acute for people whose lives depend upon vital local services, so it is crucial that we gain a more informed understanding of what causes failure. It is better to detect the warning signs and bolster local intervention and improvement measures at the earliest opportunity.
There is no improvement without your input. You need to vote Zanu PF in the council elections. You cannot have a country without properly run councils.
A local councillor will have numerous roles and responsibilities. It is a wide-ranging and onerous position but can be very rewarding and some councillors seek re-election, some of them serving for 20 years or more but you must ask yourself one question: What has opposition led councils achieved in the past 20 years?
They had a duty to represent the views of the community and their needs. This is not restricted to your own ward as you must be objective and take into consideration the needs and well-being of all residents and the community as a whole.
Councillors also spend a great deal of time with their constituents through holding drop-in surgeries, corresponding and engaging with their constituents on a wide range of matters. When last did you see a councillor in towns calling you for a meeting? The opposition councillors have taken you for a ride far too long. This is the time to stand up and be counted. Chose a new councillor. If a Councillor is also a member of a political party, they will be expected to attend political group meetings especially before council meetings, and also be required to attend party training, campaigns and events. So which party was your councillor reporting to?
If a Councillor is also a member of a political party, they will be expected to attend political group meetings especially before council meetings, and also be required to attend party training, campaigns and events.
Each council has their governance arrangements detailed in its Constitutional documents, which will be outlined as part of induction.
The primary role of a councillor is to represent the ward and the citizens who live in it. Members of political parties may find that their party offers guidance on doing this. Councillors have a central part to play in making decisions that impact on their ward and across the whole council. They will be involved in decision-making through: so for the past 20 years what decisions were made by your councillors on your behalf.
You cannot vote for the failed councillors over and over again. There will be no change. Vote for Zanu PF and return councils back to the party of excellence.
Online Reporter