Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Mashonaland West Bureau
GOVERNMENT has challenged local authorities to translate their plans into tangible improvements in service delivery as it intensifies the National Clean-Up, Restoration, Order and Safety Programme.
Local Government and Public Works Permanent Secretary Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti said councils must move beyond meetings, reports and promises, and ensure residents experience visible improvements in their communities.
Addressing a local government transformation workshop in Kadoma on Monday, Eng Muguti said the clean-up programme, which started in Harare, was now being cascaded to local authorities across the country.
“The people of Zimbabwe do not experience Government through policy documents; they experience Government through the availability of clean and reliable water, functioning roads, effective refuse collection, adequate sewerage systems, serviced residential, commercial and industrial land, functioning markets and responsive local authorities,” he said.
Eng Muguti said the programme should not be reduced to periodic litter-picking exercises, but should become a sustained effort to restore order, reclaim public spaces and strengthen municipal systems.
He said clean and orderly communities were also critical to attracting investment and stimulating economic activity.
The Permanent Secretary challenged councils to move “from managing decline to managing development”, saying they should anticipate problems and address them before they became crises.
“Every infrastructure investment must respond to an identified need and must have a measurable outcome,” he said.
Eng Muguti said improved service delivery should be supported by sound financial management, revenue mobilisation, accountability and compliance.
He also warned councils against treating turnaround strategies as ends in themselves, saying plans should be backed by measurable actions and clear timelines.
“Where there are challenges, do not simply bring those challenges to the Ministry. Bring a solution, identify a responsible officer, provide a timeline and set measurable targets,” he said.
The Ministry will strengthen monitoring of local authorities through a quarterly performance matrix expected to publicly reflect councils’ performance.
Speaking on the sidelines of the workshop, local authority leaders said they were implementing measures to improve service delivery.
Makonde Rural District Council chief executive officer Dr Paradzayi Munyede said the authority had introduced various measures and incentives to improve revenue collection.
Chinhoyi Municipality town clerk Mr Biriat Tasarira said the council had started enforcing the Restoration, Order and Safety Programme to maintain order in the city.
Zvishavane Town Council acting secretary Mr Anele Gumbochuma said the council was aligning capital expenditure with critical infrastructure requirements, service delivery priorities and Minimum Service Delivery Standards.
“We are ensuring that public resources are directed towards infrastructure that improves the quality of life of citizens while simultaneously creating an environment conducive to investment and economic activity,” he said. The workshop also discussed road maintenance disbursements to road authorities, operational challenges and procurement issues affecting local authorities.
