Training programme for newly elected councillors on cards

Pamela Shumba Chronicle Reporter
THE Government will soon conduct a massive training programme for newly elected councillors to equip them with adequate skills to execute their duties, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Mr Killian Mpingo, said yesterday. The training programme will be conducted in conjunction with the Association of Rural District Councils of Zimbabwe (ARDCZ) and the councils chief executive officers’ forum.

The ARDCZ is conducting its three-day annual national conference for chief executive officers and human resources officers in Bulawayo where the association is focusing on the training programme for the new councillors.

The conference is  running under the theme “Strategic Development of Local Authorities through skills and talent development.”
In an interview, Mr Mpingo said the training   programme   was   different   from the inductions that the ministry used to conduct in previous years.

“We are organising a massive capacity training programme for newly elected councillors countrywide. This training programme is to equip them with the adequate skills and expertise to enable them to execute their duties when they assume office. In the past we used to conduct quick induction programmes with little information on how they should perform their duties.

“The programme that we will run this year is a better structured one that will leave all the councillors well informed about what is expected of them. It will also expose them to the operations and the systems of their respective councils and make it easy for them to work with the councils and the people in their wards,” said Mr Mpingo.

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference in Bulawayo, the ARDCZ chief executive officer, Mr Rogers Mozhentiy said this year’s conference was important because   it    was    designed   to disseminate the capacity building programme by the ministry.

“This is the third annual conference that we are holding for human resources managers and chief executive officers for rural councils. Their departments are pivotal for effective administration and are key to the success of our councils.