Provinces to drive devolution: Govt

Wallace Ruzvidzo

Provinces should become economic hubs and growth centres to feed into the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr Misheck Sibanda, has said.

Addressing Ministers of State for Provincial Affairs and other Government officials in Harare Thursday, Dr Sibanda said this was a key factor of the National Development Strategy expected to replace the Transitional Stabilisation Programme.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have to bear in mind that the transfer of power to lower tiers of Government through the devolution process is to enable them to spearhead economic and social development in their areas of special jurisdiction in line with their comparative advantages,” he said.

The meeting was held to get input from the Ministers into the thematic working groups on devolution.

While commending provinces for coming up with high-impact priorities, he said others fell “far short” of devolution expectations.

“Whilst the efforts the provinces have so far made, in coming up with their high-impact priorities are appreciated, it should, however, be noted that some submissions made by the provinces fall far short of the approach that has been laid down for the development planning process and the spirit and purpose of decentralisation and devolution policy, hence the need for this meeting today.”