By Virginia Njovo
Masvingo City Council and four of its managers were recently awarded accolades for Good Corporate Governance by the Zimbabwe CEO’s Network at the Doyens of Local Authorities Awards 2024, held on November 8 at Cresta Hotel in Harare.
Individual accolades went to Town Clerk Eng. Edward Mukaratirwa as the Overall Outstanding Local Authority Leader (Super Platinum winner), Director of Engineering Services Eng. Kudzaishe Mbetu as Outstanding Engineer (Gold winner), and Public Relations Officer Ashleigh Jinjika as Outstanding Leader in Communication and Public Relations. Director of Health and Environmental Services Suzanne Madamombe also won the Outstanding Female Leader (Gold Medal).
Masvingo City Public Relations Officer Ashleigh Jinjika confirmed the achievement, expressing that council feels honored by the recognition, which she attributes to a commitment to their shared vision.
“As Masvingo City Council, we feel honored to be recognized for Good Corporate Governance by the Zimbabwe CEO’s Network. This is a testament to our unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, and excellence in service delivery, which is a collective commitment to our shared vision that has made this achievement possible,” said Jinjika.
Jinjika added that their journey has been sustained by key initiatives, including the implementation of e-governance solutions for efficient service delivery.
“We have implemented core values such as robust disclosure policies to ensure stakeholders have access to information. We have also established clear lines of responsibility and performance metrics. Additionally, we have fostered partnerships with local businesses and tertiary institutions, and we conduct regular client satisfaction surveys to identify areas for improvement,” she said.
The awards came a few months after Mukaratirwa was crowned Best Manager of the Year 2024 by the Zimbabwe Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), where Masvingo City Council was also recognized as the Best Customer-Centered Organization. City managers, led by Mukaratirwa, along with councilors, were all smiles as they received the awards.
At the 64th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), held in Bulawayo in April this year, Masvingo City Council won the Most Innovative Creative Local Authority Award, highlighting the city’s performance in service delivery to residents.
In 2023, Eng Mukaratirwa won President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Award for the Best Town Clerk in Zimbabwe, a government recognition for excellent performance in service delivery.
In 2022, Masvingo City Council gained recognition after winning four accolades at the Zimbabwe CEO’s Network Awards held on February 25, 2022, in Harare. Then-Mayor Cllr Collen Maboke won Outstanding Mayor, Eng Mukaratirwa won Outstanding Town Clerk, Jinjika won Outstanding Public Relations Officer, and Masvingo City won Best Performing Local Authority.
Masvingo has also seen an improvement in water provision, though recent persistent power cuts have reduced water flow to residential areas and the Central Business District (CBD).
