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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has approved the payment of salaries for Provincial Council members as Government forges ahead with the implementation of the devolution agenda.
The country’s Constitution provides for a new system of Provincial Governance through Provincial Councils.
In his address during the Business Weekly Midlands Devolution breakfast meeting in Gweru yesterday, the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing July Moyo said all those elected into Provincial Councils are now going to be paid salaries.
“President Mnangagwa has approved that all those elected into Provincial Councils start receiving payments or salaries. So we are starting to pay them so that they become full Provincial Council members who have a Constitutional duty and mandate to be in those positions,” he said.
“Devolution is here to stay and it’s a challenge to Ministers of State and businesses in their respective provinces.”
Minister Moyo said Provincial Affairs Ministers should start working on provincial Gross Domestic Products with businesses in their respective provinces.
He said since his election into office, the President has made sure that devolution is implemented.
“In March 2013, the new Constitution was passed and came into effective. After that no one, no Government spoke of devolution. People were elected and left to rot until their term expired. Then President Mnangagwa was elected into power and he said we must implement this part of the Constitution.
“Because devolution had been forgotten, I remember one political party in Manicaland province forgot to field candidates,” he said.
Minister Moyo said President Mnangagwa also approved that provinces should start getting funds from the central Government.
“During the first Cabinet meeting of the Second Republic, President Mnangagwa said the five percent be paid to provinces but the then Minister of Finance Patrick Chinamasa pleaded with him saying he was just fulfilling Ignatius Chombo’s budget. Then came Professor Mthuli Ncube and President Mnangagwa said no compromise and we started paying the five percent,” he said.
Minister Moyo said provinces must identify their assets to unpack value they have in terms of their Gross Domestic Product.
“President Mnangagwa has said the new mantra for Provincial Ministers and their councils is to identify their assets and work on their GDP that will feed into the national Government,” he said.
Minister Moyo said there was need for everyone to support the devolution agenda which is aimed at improving people’s standards of living.
He said there are some contradictions in the Constitution relating to devolution but Government was addressing the issues which include that of Members of Parliament sitting on Provincial Councils.
Business Weekly editor, Herbert Zharare said his paper was going to take the provincial meetings on devolution across the country.
Provincial Affairs Ministers for Midlands and Mashonaland West provinces, Cdes Larry Mavima and Mary Mliswa, senior Government officials as well as Zimpapers Digital and Publishing Division General manager Mr Max Shayamano and other company executives attended the devolution breakfast meeting.
Online Reporter