Victoria Falls moves to improve service delivery with client service charter

THE City of Victoria Falls has moved to strengthen local governance by leading the development of a comprehensive Client Service Charter, a move aimed at enhancing accountability, transparency and public confidence in municipal operations.

A consultative workshop was held at a local hotel in Victoria Falls last week, bringing together councillors, senior council management, Government officials, representatives from the business community and residents’ associations to collectively define service delivery standards for the city.

The proposed charter is intended to set out clear service delivery benchmarks and turnaround times across all municipal departments. It seeks to align staff conduct with citizen centred service principles, while establishing clear mechanisms for handling complaints and incorporating public feedback. The document will also spell out how the municipality communicates its commitments and conducts regular monitoring and evaluation of performance.

Officially opening the workshop, Victoria Falls Mayor Councillor Prince Thuso Moyo said the city’s global profile as a prime tourism destination should be matched by the quality of services provided to 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 Moyo.

He said the initiative is aligned with Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an Upper Middle Income Society, and also supports the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 11 that focuses on building inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities.

“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.

Clr Moyo urged councillors and municipal officials to ground the initiative firmly within existing legal and regulatory frameworks, noting that statutory regulations provide safeguards that promote transparency and foster 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 Client Service Charter as a formal commitment by council to its stakeholders, defining clear standards of service delivery as well as accountability measures.

“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 said the input and feedback gathered during the engagement would inform the refinement of the charter to ensure it reflects the reality of a rapidly growing and dynamic urban centre.

“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,” said Mr Dube.

The workshop aims to produce a practical charter with Smart commitments that are aligned with the city’s long term vision and strategic development objectives.