Online Reporter
PRECINCTS that fall under urban local authorities, most particularly in the capital Harare, have largely been outliers in Zimbabwe’s development trajectory over the past seven years.
This, however, has not been the case in rural areas, as devolution, as a policy deliberately operationalised by the Second Republic, has boosted service delivery and, with it, the standard of living of many communities through the rehabilitation of roads and construction of clinics, schools, boreholes and dip-tanks, among others.
Conversely, the infrastructure in urban areas has continued to alarmingly deteriorate under the weight of inept, corrupt and clueless councils.
If anything, the testimonies that were presented to the recently concluded Justice Maphios Cheda-led Commission of Inquiry into the affairs of the City of Harare since 2017 have proved beyond reasonable doubt that, as currently configured, the Harare City Council is inherently incapable of delivering meaningful services to ratepayers.
For example, long after the rainy season ended, the roads in many suburbs have not been attended to.
This is hardly surprising, particularly for a city that is presided over by political functionaries — read councillors — whose sole motivation is to stuff their pockets by grabbing anything they can lay their hands on.
Thankfully, the Government has decided to act. In November 2023, President Mnangagwa instructively launched a blueprint aptly titled “Call to Action — No Compromise to Service Delivery” that is meant to ensure the efficient running of local authorities and guarantee satisfactory service delivery.
But one of the boldest actions that have since been made is to onboard the private sector in both water provision and waste management.
A deal has already been struck between the Government, the Harare City Council and private companies such as Helcraw Electrical to revitalise Harare’s water treatment plant and distribution infrastructure.
Similarly, from this week, Geo Pomona Waste Management will begin collecting waste in residential areas, marking the commencement of an ambitious plant to permanently eliminate the capital’s seemingly perennial waste management challenges.
Handing over key service delivery sectors to the private sector is not just an economic theory —it is a proven catalyst for efficiency, innovation and growth.
In Senegal, for example, private management of Dakar’s water supply led to 24/7 access of the service for millions, reduced losses and resulted in fairer pricing.
While critics argue that privatisation leads to higher costs, the real cost is, however, inefficiency, which leaves ratepayers with no water at all.
In essence, privatisation is about injecting competition, expertise and accountability.
While it certainly is not a magic bullet, it surely is the fastest way to improve service delivery, attract investment and create jobs.
As the late Kenyan Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai once said, “In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness.”
For us, that shift must include
trusting the private sector to deliver what local authorities have been failing to do.
Already, there are many reasons to be optimistic about Geo Pomona’s capacity to deliver not only clean cities but to also have a positive impact on the economy.
This year, the company’s workforce has increased from 61 to 188, with potential to even grow even further as it gains the critical mass to service all suburbs in the capital and beyond.
Its soon-to-be-built waste-to-energy plant will have the potential to generate between 16 and 22 megawatts, which will ably complement local power generation.
It is illogical to continue maintaining a stranglehold on a sector without the wherewithal or capacity to satisfactorily deliver the intended service.
This is why the pronouncement that was recently made by Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo
that private players will soon be allowed to generate, transmit and distribute power directly to households, especially in newly developed suburbs, is
welcome.
Zesa alone, he said, could not keep pace with the rapid urban expansion and growing demand for electricity. The appetite from the private sector has clearly been there.
Therefore, onboarding them in critical sectors will likely unlock investments and help to accelerate the attainment of key economic targets.
In opening the window for the private sector, we, however, need to ensure strong oversight to prevent exploitation.
Overall, while privatisation is not a new phenomenon, it needs to be adapted to our circumstances.
Ultimately, the end goal is to provide satisfactory services at affordable rates.
Tinaye Agere