HLB seeks incorporation to revamp urban governance

THE Hwange Local Board (HLB) says it’s losing revenue due to a disjointed urban governance system, which sees it responsible for 15 councillors elected under its ticket but whose wards are administratively in concession areas outside its jurisdiction.

HLB was established in 1974 but only administers five wards, which include Baobab, Chibondo, Empumalanga and industrial areas encompassing the Zimbabwe National Army, Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services and part of Zimbabwe Republic Police camps.

The other 10 wards with 14 councillors, including those elected on proportional representation, fall within the concession areas administered by Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL), Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ).

While the concession area wards are under Hwange Rural District Council, the councillors are elected under HLB creating disharmony in the administration of the wards.

HLB has 15 elected councillors and five proportional representatives making a complement of 20 councillors, and only six legally fall under HLB. Despite this, HLB takes care of allowances and benefits for all 20 councillors. HCCL has eight wards while ZPC and NRZ have one each.

HLB has been applying for incorporation and town status since the early 1990s and the Government constituted commissions of inquiry in 2015 and 2022, recommending incorporation and town status for HLB.

A Ministry of Local Government and Public Works delegation recently visited Hwange to engage stakeholders on the issue and HLB management implored the Government to urgently address the issue. Incorporation will mean HLB can collect revenue from the concession area wards and retain license fees.

HLB said the multiple administration system emanated from the delimitation process by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission in 2008 and 2023.

“The 10 concession wards with 14 councillors have no financial contribution to HLB at all as the council does not collect any levies, licences or rates from these areas since they are not under HLB jurisdiction, but under HRDC,” said HLB management.

“The 14 councillors are paid all allowances and all requisite entitlements from resources accrued from Empumalanga, Baobab, Chibondo and industrial areas where there are only five wards and six elected councillors.

“This ad hoc administration and planning of Hwange Urban has over the years pushed HLB to push for incorporation of HCCL, ZPC and NRZ into HLB jurisdiction as well as an application for town status. What is currently referred to as Hwange urban is disjointed.”

After the 2015 commission of inquiry and recommendations, HLB and HCCL had several engagements and agreed that some staff from the coal mining company would be transferred to HLB upon incorporation.

HLB said it cannot consult residents from the concession areas and they have no input in the ongoing masterplan crafting process.

“Currently, HLB is in a situation where it has to pay allowances and provide all other benefits to 14 additional councillors from wards it does not administer and derive no revenue. Hwange urban has to be incorporated under our urban local authorities as enshrined in the constitution,” said HLB.

“Corporates and institutions should know that incorporation does not mean HLB will take over ownership of houses and structures owned by them, but will only be responsible for the provision of municipal services. It is seriously unfair for residents in the five elected wards to continue funding their six councillors and 14 others from elsewhere.”

The local board believes it can benefit from the retention of licence fees, and co-ordination of spatial planning while HCCL, ZPC and NRZ should devote time to their core business away from social and municipal services burden.

The impasse also involves the management of bulk water presently administered by the Zimbabwe National Water Authority.

The town is the hub of coal mining in the country and is home to coal mining giants and the Hwange Thermal Power Station.—@ncubeleon