By Tinashe Chigwata The discussion has shown that there is no coherent approach to assigning powers and responsibilities to provincial and metropolitan councils whose composition is also the subject of debate. Thus, the starting point of implementing the provincial structure should be to clarify or identify the place and role of provincial and metropolitan councils…
By Tinashe Chigwata The Constitution also requires devolution to the local level. However, the current debates on devolution in Zimbabwe are significantly and unfairly related to the provincial and metropolitan councils as opposed to local authorities. It is as if local authorities are already exercising exclusive devolved powers or that they do not require such…
Provincial Councils and Administration Amendment Bill H.B. 5, 2021
By Correspondent Government has finally approved the Provincial Metropolitan Council Bill in fulfillment of the High Court order set in September last year. The Bill seeks to provide for the corporate status of provincial and metropolitan councils in line with the devolution agenda. In September 2020 the High Court gave Ministers Mthuli Ncube, July Moyo…
By Correspondent Government needs to be held to account over its devolution actions as the financial disbursements it has been making have both been illegal and inadequate according to an expert. Speaking at a Devolution Indaba on Monday, David Matumbike, Director for Local Governance Capacity Building Trust (LGCBT) said the public needs to hold central…
By Tinashe Chigwata The first bone of contention is the meaning of devolution. The 2013 Constitution mentions the word devolution about five times but nowhere does it define it. The meaning of devolution is therefore subject to interpretation. Various persons and formations in Zimbabwe have tried to define devolution. Some define devolution as the delegation…
By Tinashe Chigwata The Constitution recognises a total of 10 provinces, namely Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Manicaland, Masvingo, Midlands, Matebeleland North, Matebeleland South, Bulawayo and Harare. It requires the first eight provinces to be governed by provincial councils and the remaining two metropolitan provinces, which are wholly urban in nature, to be governed…
By Tinashe Chigwata Chapter 14 of the 2013 Constitution, which provides for provincial and local governments, is the only Chapter of the Constitution that has got a preamble of its own. The preamble reads: Whereas it is desirable to ensure: (a) the preservation of national unity in Zimbabwe and the prevention of all forms of…
By Correspondent The government is left with just above a month to fulfil a court order seeking the gazetting of legislation to enable implementation of devolution. The High Court gave Ministers Mthuli Ncube, July Moyo and Ziyambi Ziyambi until 31 March to have implemented the order to allow for devolution as provided for by Section…
Zimbabwe as a Federal Republic — Devolution White Paper