Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve [email protected]
THE City of Victoria Falls has taken a significant step towards improving local governance by spearheading the development of a comprehensive Client Service Charter, aimed at enhancing accountability, transparency, and public trust.
A workshop was held at local hotel in Victoria Falls yesterday, bringing together councillors, senior council management, Government officials, local businesses, and residents’ associations to collaboratively shape the city’s service delivery standards.
The charter is designed to define clear service delivery standards and turnaround times across all municipal departments.
It seeks to align staff attitudes with citizen-focused service principles while establishing robust complaint handling and feedback mechanisms.
The document will also outline how the city communicates its commitments and monitors progress regularly.
Officiating at the workshop, Victoria Falls Mayor, Councillor Prince Thuso Moyo, represented by Councilor Tonderai Mutasa emphasised that the city’s identity as a world-class destination must be reflected in the quality of service provided to its residents.
“Victoria Falls is a name recognised in every corner of the globe. We are a world-class destination and a rapidly growing investment hub. However, ‘world-class’ should not just describe our majestic waterfall or our luxury hotels, it must describe our service. Every resident who calls this City home deserves to experience the same warmth, excellence and professionalism that we extend to our international visitors,” said Clr Mutasa.
He said the initiative aligns with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, which aims to achieve an Upper Middle-Income Society, and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 11 of making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
“When we improve our water, our roads and our transparency, we are not just following a local plan, we are contributing to a global standard of excellence,” he said.
He urged his fellow councillors and officers to anchor their ambitions in the law, noting that regulations serve as guardrails to ensure transparency and build public trust.
“To get this right, we need the pulse of the residents and the expertise of our business stakeholders. We need to hear the honest truth about where we are succeeding and more importantly, where we are falling short. Your voice carries equal weight today,” he said.
Town Clerk, Mr Ronnie Dube, described the charter as the city’s promise to its residents, defining not only standards but also how the municipality listens, responds, and remains accountable.
“Today’s workshop is more than just a formal exercise, it is a conversation about the kind of service culture we want to build as a City.
The Client Service Charter is our promise to the residents and stakeholders we serve,” Mr Dube said.
He noted that the experiences and feedback shared during the workshop would guide the review and updating of the charter to ensure it reflects the realities of a growing and vibrant city.
“We want this document to be practical, inclusive and responsive to the needs of both our residents and the various sectors that support our development,” Mr Dube said.
The workshop aimed to produce a practical charter with SMART commitments that align with the city’s vision and strategic objectives.
