Beverly Bizeki
Masvingo City Mayor who is also Masvingo Urban aspiring Independent Candidate Collen Maboke has said devolution funds needed an enabling act to guide councils on how to use the funds.
Speaking to TellZim News on the sidelines of his campaign towards the August 23 elections, Maboke said his main focus will be on policy change and formulation which he said was affecting how councils operate.
He said the absence of an enabling act on devolution funds was disastrous as councils were getting a lot of challenges in using the money.
“There is no enabling act for devolution funds which regulates the use of these funds and also how the provincial council operates”
“We are having challenges as we do not have any formula using these funds and I intend to work towards the formulation of such a policy for the smooth running of projects involving devolution funds” said Maboke.
He went on to say he intends to advocate for review of the urban council’s act which he said should speak to issues of service delivery and there is no law that regulates how the act should work.
“During my time as mayor, I have discovered that there are a number issues and areas that need policy change. I noticed that the urban council’s act needs to be improved and once I am elected, I will advocate for that,” said Maboke
He also said there was need for a national policy to deal with how the elderly are billed especially on monthly council bills considering the fact that they do not earn as the younger population.
“Once elected, I want to push for a policy that speaks to our elderly members of the community, and there is need for some sort of exemption on council charges. The government should put an incentive so that they can pay thier bills. We have a sad situation in Mucheke where council disconnected water supply to some elderly members’ homes for failure to pay,” said Maboke.
He also talked about improving pension funds so that those who go on pension enjoys life rather than suffering like many are doing because they are getting next to nothing.
Maboke was disqualified in the middle of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) candidate selection and he went on to contest as independent.
