TellZim Reporter
Local authorities are key drivers of development in Zimbabwe with government disbursing funds through devolution to foster development in these areas.
The local authorities work in a three tier system managed by council managers that are the Town Clerks and Secretaries or Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) with their directors involved in the day to day running of affairs and implement policies made by the second authority which is the policy makers or councillors led by the mayors, town or council chairpersons. These play an oversight role and formulate policies and resolutions basing on the needs of the people and societies they represent.
The last, which is the District Development Coordinators (DDCs), formerly the District Administrators (DAs) also have a role to play in council operations as the office chairs all forms of development in the district working with traditional leaders in case of rural communities.
Members of Parliament (MPs) are also involved in a way to complement council efforts in development through Constituency Development Funds (CDF) and any other government projects that come through them.
Local authorities receive other funds from parastatals like ZINARA to help in maintaining road infrastructure. However, for any meaningful development to take place, all these stakeholders should be held accountable. Communication is a major contribution towards development. The local authorities are expected to give out information about their developmental goals and timelines so that other stakeholders will appreciate work being done.
A lot of local authority managers are not forth coming when it comes to information dissemination through the media, whose role in this regard can only be underplayed at the detriment of the citizens, who require efficient service delivery.
This article rates local authorities that is the CEOs, Council Chairpersons, Town Secretaries, Town Clerks and DDC’s on how they disseminate information to the public through the media, which is vitally necessary and required by law, like the recently enacted Freedom of Information Act.
1. Bikita District
In Masvingo province, the best CEO in terms of giving information to the media is Bikita’s Peter Chibhi who gets 9/10. Chibhi is always forthcoming when the media inquire. He always provides information on budgets, devolution funds, rates among other things. He also gives a comment even on issues which seem to be sensitive or even negative to him as an individual or to the local authority as a whole. He is one of the few who invite the media when he has done something remarkable. He also gives updates on on-going and finished projects.
Similarly the council Chairperson Benjamin Masakadze is also open to the media. He comments and gives information as required unless on technical issues which he would have to refer to council managers. Masakadze unlike other chairpersons values the media engagement and would be rated at 8/10.
Bikita DDC Hadzirabwi is average in terms of media engagement and often comments but only on simpler issues but is dodgy when it comes to sensitive issues and a 5/10 would suffice for him.
2. Gutu District
In second position is Gutu RDC CEO Alexander Mtembwa. Mutembwa is above average and is open to the media. He comments on all aspects of the local authority be they positive or negative. He gives regular updates when asked on the local authority’s budget, projects under devolution funds and road maintenance with funds from Zinara among other things. For that he gets 8/10.
Gutu RDC Chairperson Nicholas Zambara is also among the best chairpersons. He comments and gives information as expected and usually refers technical questions to the CEO. Just like Masakadze, Zambara gets 8/10.
However, the DDC Chiedza Tafirei is among the worst in the province as she barely entertains questions from the media and in most cases refers to the Secretary for Development formerly Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC). Tafirei gets 3/10.
3. Mwenezi District
Mwenezi RDC CEO Albert Chivanga comes third with 7/10. Chivanga is open for interviews and all forms of questions. He gives timelines and progress on devolution funds, projects, budgets and other things. He is usually open to comment on all issues negative or positive.
However, Council Chairperson Jorum Ncube is very media shy. He seems not to have an understanding of media’s role in fostering development and transparency. He is seldom quoted in the media and this gives him 2/10.
The new Mwenezi DDC Nyaradzo Tongofa is not forthcoming in terms of media engagement. Unlike her predecessor Rosemary Chingwe, Tongofa always says she is not allowed to talk to the media and refers all questions to the Provincial Secretary Dr Jefta Sakupwanya. However, Sakupwanya in most cases refers back questions to the DDC saying she is the one on the ground and has more information and often says he is also waiting for reports from there. Because of that, Tongofa gets 3/10.
4. Chiredzi Districts
On average, Chiredzi District with both the town and rural district councils is the best in terms of information dissemination. Chiredzi RDC CEO Ailes Baloyi gets 7/10. He is very friendly and forth coming when it comes to provision of information to the media. He is always available and has an open door policy.
However, it’s a different case for the chairperson who is ranked among the worst and gets 2/10. The council chairperson Edward Matsilele is very media shy and seems not to understand how the media works. He lacks simple public relations and is seldom quoted in the media. Matsilele always refers questions to Baloyi even those regarding to policy issues.
Chiredzi Town Secretary Engineer Wesley Kauma is slightly above average; he is also friendly to the media though he is rated below his counterpart Baloyi and gets 6/10. Kauma always releases information to do with public funds especially on devolution. He is very cooperative although he sometimes is difficulty especially on issues which are negative in nature, to which he can be hostile.
Chiredzi Town Council Chairperson Gibson Hwende is among the best chairpersons in the province. He is always available for comment and provides all the necessary information as it is needed. This also goes to his deputy Ropafadzo Makumire. Hwende gets 7/10.
The District Development Coordinator Lovemore Chisema is probably the best DDC in the Province and he gets 8/10. Chisema is very open to the media and can entertain the media even after working hours.
5. Masvingo District
Masvingo District with its two local authorities, Masvingo City Council and Masvingo RDC is on average. Masvingo City Council Town Clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa gets 6/10. Mukaratirwa is unpredictable, he comments on most issues but sometimes he is a bit difficult. He has a vacillating character and difficult to predict. He sometimes releases information very well and sometimes he just decides not to.
The City Mayor Collen Maboke has improved over time compared to what he used to do when he first entered into council. He now comments and gives information on almost every aspect related to his office and would refer technical questions to the town clerk and the relevant department.
Another official is the Public Relations Officer Ashleigh Jinjika and she gets 5/10 for only answering calls and referring them forward. She always refers simple questions related to her office to the Town Clerk. She is not in touch with the media and hardly knows a quarter of the local media despite her once being in a newsroom.
Masvingo RDC CEO, Martin Mubviro always asks the reporters to come to Nemamwa saying he cannot give information over the phone. Mubviro is not in touch with the media as expected of him and the local authority seldom invites the media on important events. Because of that Mubviro gets 4/10.
The DDC Ray Hove gets 4/10 though he is similar to Mubviro. He does not usually want to entertain questions via phone and he says he prefers talking face to face despite cellphones being convenient in this era. He is not keen on releasing information on development around the district despite him chairing all developmental aspects in the district. Even when doing face to face interviews, Hove is always dodgy and would never give a comprehensive response.
6. Chivi District
Chivi District is among the worst in the province, with the CEO Tariro Matavire getting 3/10. Matavire seldom releases information. He is not forthcoming to the media and it’s very rare for him to invite the media for any development. He rarely releases information on important developments in the district.
The council Chairperson Godfrey Mukungunugwa also gets 3/10. His major undoing is pretending to be busy all the time. He does not pick up his cellphone and when he does, he always says he is busy try again sometime but usually he won’t pick up on the second attempt. When he eventually answers his cellphone, he only wants to comment on positive issues, referring most of the questions to Matavire.
Chivi DDC Innocent Matingwina is a bit better than Mukungunugwa and Matavire so he gets 5/10. He is dodgy on sensitive issues and talks better on positives. He cannot engage the media on his own on whatever developments that take place in the district.
7. Zaka District
The worst district is Zaka. Both the CEO David Batsirai Majaura and the DDC Memory Dhliwayo are difficult. Majaura comments here and there and in most cases he is not keen to release figures especially when it comes to accountability on devolution funds and other council business. Majaura gets 2/10. In most cases he does not answer his cellphone and when he answers, it’s difficult to squeeze information out of him.
However, the Council Chaiperson Cornelius Mapuranga who is the longest serving councillor in the country having been councillor since 1980, usually responds to the media though he is dogdy in most cases. He also refers technical questions to the CEO. Because of that, Mapuranga gets 5/10.
The DDC does not answer her cell in most cases and when she does she will always say she is not authorised to speak to the media despite fellow DDCs from other districts being allowed. Dhliwayo gets 2/10. Dhilawayo at times is very hostile if the media pester for information which makes the district one of the worst in information dissemination.