admininto the equation, they lack resources which are in abundance in terms of revenue collection systems.
Whatever political party is in control of the local councils, the fact still remains that black management is in control. What many people are worried about is whether black empowerment as epitomised by the running of the councils is the best policy to follow for running of companies?
It is a sad situation indeed to see a wonderful policy of indigenisation and black empowerment being implemented the way that local government councils are run. Schools, churches and other institutions, run by blacks are better managed and thriving.
If this is so, why not the local government councils?
Is it to do with politics? If it is the politics that prevents councils to be run efficiently, then let us remove the politics. What it means is that non-political councillors should be elected.
By whom? By the residents associations. By the way, there are many councils in various countries that are administered efficiently even though they are run by political parties. Many politicians have cut their teeth at local government level before aspiring for high office especially in France where presidents have previously been mayors.
But in Zimbabwe, the lower ladder of the political system represented by serving as mayors or councillors, does not appeal to would be national politicians.
In order to be noticed, an aspiring politician aims for the top not the bottom. One opposition member of a small political party said that there was no money at the local government level. Upon further questioning, he said that donors of political funds will not fund a party at local government level.
So, the whole game is to get funding from donors if a party aims for national politics. That is why a number of political parties emerge whenever elections dates are announced. There is money to be made if a party, with no hope of winning even a single parliamentary seat, joins the campaign for votes. One prominent politician claimed that there is money to be made as long as the manifesto is to remove the ruling party from power.
These machinations then leave the residents in limbo as far as service delivery is concerned. The way the cities and towns are run gives a bad name to indigenisation and empowerment policies. If city and town councils cannot efficiently collect revenue, then how do they think they are going to get the money for service delivery?
A case in point is where Harare City Council was forced to close one department for allowing unlicenced second hand car sales to operate. This means that no rates or rentals were being paid to council which has been citing lack of revenue to repair burst water pipes, sewerage over flows and pot holes.
A visit to St Mary’s, Chitungwiza new housing estate at the weekend, was an eye opener. Raw sewerage was flowing in the suburb near Hunyani Beer Gardens.
The whole area was so filthy that the fear for cholera outbreak was real. What could the residents do while the workers have not been paid for at least three months and are on strike. The sad thing is that a political party is in charge of the council. Its councillors are voted in by the same residents who are now living with the filth everyday.
Not only that, the next elections for councils are due in March 2012. Surely, if one party has failed to run the councils and towns, why not try another political party? It would be better to change the parties once every five years until such time that order is restored rather than to keep retaining just one party to run local government councils.
Some say, it is the calibre of councillors that is to blame for lack of service delivery. But the residents should elect councillors that have a stake in the suburb. Why elect a councillor who does not own a property in the suburb or in that ward who will end up depriving widows of their houses?
Residents are not forced to vote for a particular candidate, but go into the voting booth with their eyes open and a pen in hand. As for the employees of councils, the Ministry of Local Government and Urban Development should not allow unqualified managers to work in councils. City and town councils have given a bad image to the country as a whole as to how Zimbabwe is being run. If the country cannot put right an administration of its local government institutions, it is difficult to claim that the country can run properly.
Some politicians have said that they are looking for foreign investment for economic growth. There is no problem with that.
But, why not fix your water system first, your sewerage reticulation first, your revenue collection first, before inviting foreigners to your country?
The only solution to the country’s city and town councils is for a new party with property owner councillors to take over the running of the local government councils.
Let it be shown that the indigenous people of this country are efficient in running the lowest level of government.
Online Reporter