Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Zimpapers Writer
LOCAL Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe has called on local authorities to renew their commitment to social transformation and enhance service delivery as Zimbabwe advances towards its Vision 2030 goals.
He made the remarks while addressing mayors, chairpersons, town clerks, town secretaries, and chief executive officers from all 92 local authorities during the 2024 Local Authorities’ Performance Outcomes Feedback Workshop held in Harare on Thursday.
Minister Garwe noted that the annual review process had revealed both commendable progress and persistent shortcomings in service delivery, with none of the urban local authorities surpassing their operational targets.
“This data serves as a wake-up call for us all. The success of Vision 2030 will be measured street-by-street, neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood, starting with how we manage every hectare of urban land under our stewardship,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of transitioning from the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) to National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which places greater focus on strengthening the capacity of local authorities to meet service delivery demands in an increasingly dynamic environment.
A key component of this transition is the introduction of the Call-to-Action blueprint, which has led to the establishment of Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS). These standards aim to set a baseline for service delivery across all councils and will be used to hold authorities accountable.
“These standards will be institutionalised and used to hold authorities accountable,” said the minister.
Minister Garwe also highlighted the significance of the recently launched Urban State Land Management Policy, describing it as a “bold commitment” to sustainable urban development and efficient land resource management. He said the policy would unlock land for affordable housing and improve the quality of life for citizens.
To support these objectives, Minister Garwe urged local authorities to take firmer action against littering, address concerns surrounding the sale of second-hand clothing, and consider privatisation as a means to improve service delivery — particularly in water management systems across all 32 urban councils.
“Think about privatisation, it’s the way to go. This should not be limited to Harare, but implemented across the country,” said Minister Garwe, who has recently undertaken a nationwide tour to assess service delivery levels in councils.
He challenged each local authority to establish at least one transformative partnership with the private sector, communities, or development institutions in 2025 to bridge resource gaps and accelerate progress.
Addressing Bulawayo councillors and management last week, Minister Garwe explained that the Government’s ban on second-hand clothing imports is a strategic measure aimed at curbing drug smuggling.
Authorities have raised concerns that drug kingpins were exploiting the importation of clothing bales to traffic narcotics into the country. He noted that the ban follows a similar move by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in October last year.
