adminPatrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
People in the Midlands have commended Government for devolution which they say will ensure economic growth of the province and the rest of the country.
The promulgation of a law to complete the implementation of devolution is set to take centre stage in the Ninth Parliament.
Giving their views during a Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) national devolution campaign in Gweru recently, Mr Methembeni Moyo, a Bulawayo based lawyer and development consultant, said Government should be commended.
“Chapter 14 of the Constitution is empty,” he said. “You realise that the Act of Parliament is mentioned more than 15 times and we should fill in the gaps. The Government is giving us the power to fill in the gap so that we have devolution laws that reflect the will of the people.
“This is a blessing and a curse at the same time. Like a mothers’ hand because we have the freedom to say we want this and that. But there is nothing specific we might get less or more, but it’s up to us to craft what we want.”
Mr Moyo said devolution was not propaganda, but a Constitutional right.
“It (devolution) is in the Constitution,” he said. “Now, we must put meat on the skeleton. We are breathing life into this. We want to craft a shadow Bill after these consultative meetings.”
Ms Alice Maqata, the chairperson for Women Coalition of Zimbabwe (Midlands Chapter), said employees in metropolitan councils and rural council salaries should be at par with that of central Government.
“Now, councils are spending more on salaries which are higher, than on service delivery and that must be addressed in the new devolution law,” she said.
Former Gweru mayor Councillor Charles Chikozho said devolution should provide for the post of executive mayors.
“Currently, council management run councils and councillors are blamed,” he said. “We have for example the procurement committee which has council management members only. This committee can make decisions without consulting councillors and that can be changed if we have the post of the executive mayor.”
Recently, President Mnangagwa said while his Government had a decentralised approach, devolution still need to be implemented as is the case through the establishment of provincial councils.
Online Reporter