Kimberly Kusauka/Emmanuel Chitsika

Devolution funds that are disbursed from central government to fund projects in local authorities require some kind of accountability as to how the money is spend while the timeline for duration of the implementation is monitored.
Certain issues like timeline or duration of a particular project, together with the involvement of ordinary people set to benefit from the project in identifying areas key to them among other issues have not been clear.
In Zimbabwe currently there is no clear demarcation of functions among various levels of government and appropriate administrative support.
While there is need for the involvement of communities in deciding or determining key project areas that affect their lives, which creates a platform for their input to be a major consideration for local authorities, that has not been the case.
Masvingo Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution (Formally known as PDC) Dr Jefter Sakupwanya said local authorities develop a working plan with projects they intend to do for a year and present them to government who in turn provide funds through devolution.
“We come up with a plan and we present it to government. It is the budget that they give us through devolution funds which determine the kind of projects we would be able to do,” said Dr Sakupwanya.
He said there are mechanisms in place to account for funds and monitor how projects are running but some projects are not funded by devolution funds.
“There are mechanisms in place to account for the funds. It is the duty of councilors and District Development Coordinator (DDC) to do follow ups so as to maintain efficiency and transparency.
“Not all projects are funded through devolution funds. We have road maintenance funded by President Emmerson Mnangagwa through Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) 2 and others which are funded through internal funds,” said Dr Sakupwanya.
The other issue raised on the devolution funded projects is the determination of which particular area to prioritise as some sections of society feel the decision usually lies with council management than ordinary people who benefit from such initiatives.
Clarity of roles and responsibilities, citizen participation, strong systems as well as functional inter-governmental fiscal transfer framework among the different tiers of government are the strong pillars towards successful and effective implementation of the programmes.
Chiredzi RDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ailles Baloyi said they have a consultative programme in wards as well as full council meetings once every three months.
“For all projects and programmes, we had major consultative meetings in 2019 and 2020 where ward profiles were produced. In addition we hold annual budget consultations in each of our 32 wards to confirm prioritization of the projects in our profiles.
“We are planning to have mid-year stakeholder meetings across districts in order to increase interaction with stakeholders. We hold full council meetings once every quarter,” said Baloyi.
Bikita RDC CEO Peter Chibhi said the duty of communicating with the people lies with councillors who are there to consult citizens on projects they would be prioritizing as well as carrying out full council meetings for feedback.
“Councillors consult citizens and bring information to council. Full councils are held on quarterly basis and feedback is given to the community by councillors after every full council meeting.
“We also carry out sector based consultations and feedbacks,” said Chibhi.
Masvingo RDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Martin Mubviro confirmed that they do consultations only four times a year.
However, on the issue of residents being consulted to air their views on which project area to prioritise, Masvingo urban residents had different views to that effect.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said residents are not given a platform to contribute to key projects funded through devolution.
“We are not happy with the way devolution funds are being handled. Residents and other key stakeholders are not given the chance to input in various key projects being funded through devolution. We are not sure why council and District Development Coordinators (DDC) do not consult residents on which projects to partake since they are the ones who know what they need.
“When devolution money comes, we are only told of the amount and the projects they will be channelling such funds ttowards without our input,” said Mtimba.
He said they need consultations since that empower residents to have their needs prioritised.
“We believe that the concept of devolution is giving people power to decide what they want in terms of development or priorities. So the devolution we have is only on paper,” said Mtimba. Masvingo Service Delivery Residents and Ratepayers Association (MASDRA) Secretary General Moses Mavhusa said that respective stakeholders are not included in giving their views towards developmental projects.
“As MASDRA we have noted with great concern the exclusion of key stakeholders such as business people and community at large on key developmental issues like the construction of a school in Rujeko C.
“Masvingo city council, councillors and our member of parliament Honourable Jacob Nyokanhete all turned a blind eye to the community by failure to inform residents that devolution funds had been directed towards that essential project rather both parties claim individual ownership to the project.
“We only got knowledge through the fights of both parties in local newspapers everyone claiming to be to be real owners. As an association we suggest that councillors undertake periodic press statements updating people on key developmental issues,” said Mavhusa.
He said they believe that residents should be part of city development.
“We believe residents are an important, integral element to our city’s development agenda,” said Mavhusa.
Coming up with possible working solutions would help in addressing such challenges like ensuring that the working relationship between implementers of any of the devolution projects also ensure that it involves the ordinary man.

Melinda Kusemachibi

The delay in the approval of Masvingo City Council proposed 2022 budget is potentially affecting service delivery since council is struggling financially to finish 2021 projects, residents have noted.
Various intended expenditures were tabled alongside proposals of how to meet such expected costs in respective areas of interest.
Masvingo City Council Mayor Cllr Collen Maboke said the budget that is yet to be approved is affecting service delivery in the city.
“The budget is yet to be approved and it is affecting us in terms of service delivery since council does not have adequate money to finish 2021 projects,” said Cllr Maboke.
Masvingo Service Delivery Residents and Ratepayers Association (MASDRRA) Secretary General Moses Mavhusa said residents are not being given fair treatment in terms of service delivery.
“Masvingo City Council confirmed last week that they send a delegation to the Ministry of Local Governance in Harare including some councilors to deliberate on the budget.
“MASDRRA is appealing to the responsible authorities to expedite the budget processes so as to enhance quality service delivery. The residents are being shortchanged as regards to expected service delivery standards by council which is passing the blame to the said responsible ministry’s bureaucratic processes,” said Mavhusa.
Two major issues popped up in the budget that is the recurrence of Mucheke Trunk Sewer and the ZW$ 160 million allocated for capital expenditure( furniture and equipment) being the major highlights of the proposed budget that has irked residents.
While ZW$ 15 million has been set for the purchase of 1000 water meters, council decided to shelve ZW$ 160 million for unspecified furniture.
Masvingo Residents and Ratepayers Association (MURRA) spokesperson Godfrey Mtimba said the budget approved or not, that does not affect service delivery since council is using the rates which were paid last year.
“It is not yet affecting service delivery because we are using the rates that we paid last year and to us as residents, that money is ok and city council can afford to provide services efficiently because there has not been any inflation in the country that the money cannot sustain service delivery,” said Mtimba.
He went on to say, it is too early for residents to complain about delayed approval of the budget.
“Traditionally, the budget has always been approved in January so we cannot blame the Ministry for being late. I think it is too early for us residents to start complaining now. For now we cannot say it has affected service delivery we are already half through and we are expecting the ministry to approve all budgets in January or February and residents will start to pay new rates and service delivery will flow in a normal way,” said Mtimba.
Rujeko high-density suburb is reportedly having 26 percent of its water meters being mal-functional but council has decided to set aside the project.
Ward 5 residents in Majange suburb of Masvingo raised concern over the inclusion of the Mucheke trunk sewer project that they feel should have been completed long back after it started nine years ago but later abandoned just two years into the construction in 2014.

Kimberly Kusauka

The target by government to achieve 60 percent herd immunity by December 2021 after close to seven months of Covid-19 vaccination, remains a pipe dream as the nation still lags behind with more than five million out of the 10 million target yet to be vaccinated.
Government is still working on reaching herd immunity, but this time around they did not give a deadline which has been seen by professionals as a way of accepting that they had set unrealistic targets.
Failure to vaccinate 60 percent of the total Zimbabwean population has been blamed on reluctance by both citizens who were no longer visiting vaccination centres as well as government that was no longer strictly enforcing Covid-19 regulations as well as encouraging people to get vaccinated.
During the festive season, a lot of people were seen in public places without wearing facemasks while not maintaining social distancing even though the new Omicron variant was spreading wildly.
Masvingo Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Doctor (Dr) Amadeus Shamhu said the Ministry of Health and Child Care is still on track to make sure that they reach herd immunity.
“We still continue encouraging people to visit their nearest vaccination centres to receive their jabs. We are doing outreaches where our staff visit the outskirts to reach out to a lot of unvaccinated population.
“We are now using a multi-factory approach, with enough staff as well as vaccines in the country. However, the main challenge we are having now is, since we are in rainy season, a lot of people depend on farming so they are spending most of their time in the fields,” said Dr Shamhu.
Masvingo Provincial Covid-19 Taskforce spokesperson Rogers Irimayi said they still carry out awareness campaigns, as well as circulating messages in the media to make sure that people get vaccinated against Covid-19.
“As a taskforce, we continue encouraging people to get vaccinated. The target of vaccinating 10 million people still stands as the country moves to achieve herd immunity. Programmes to encourage vaccination include awareness through media and messaging via Information Education Communication (IEC),” said Irimayi.
He said they are getting assistance from government as well as influential people in communities to spread awareness.
“Government partners and resident organisations are playing a pivotal role in spreading information on the pandemic. Important people in leadership positions such as traditional, church leaders as well politicians are assisting in Covid-19 awareness campaigns,” he said.
Covid-19 National Coordinator Dr Agness Mahomva in a recent publication said government has been updating people on the vaccination progress all along.
“We are constantly informing the public every week as we do with ministerial Cabinet media briefings. We do not wait to announce as if we are boarding a plane to Europe or wherever. We continue to give briefings to government, which is a proper way of informing the public.
“We have informed the public on challenges faced and strategies we are going to use to consolidate them. The update is continuously being done on a weekly basis,” said Dr Mahomva.
Government has so far said nothing to justify the failure to reach herd immunity by December 2021 and was supposed to be the vaccinating 10million out of the 15 million population estimate.
As at January 19 2022, a total number of 4 222 834 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in Zimbabwe, as the herd immunity stands at 42 percent.

Kimberly Kusauka

Chiredzi communities that are downstream Tugwi and Runde rivers are still under check following warnings about possible flooding emanating from Tokwe-Mukosi Dam spillage that occurred during the weekend of January 15-16 2022 according to Chiredzi District Development Coordinator (DDC) Lovemore Chisema.
Chisema said his office has since relayed information to the communities likely to be affected so that they stop such activities like agriculture along the river banks so that they minimise risks of being marooned by the discharged water.
There have been speculative reports in some sections of social media that efforts by government were already underway to evacuate affected people.
“We are encouraging communities to stop activities which include farming along Runde and Tugwi Rivers.
“We have not reached a stage where we would evacuate people. It is not like the dam has burst, but it is just over spilling. It is not raining this side so the over spill might cause floods. If the dam was about to burst, we would evacuate the people. Currently there are no people who live near the rivers but they carry out activities like gardening near the banks of these rivers,” said Chisema.
Masvingo Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution (Formally known as PDC) Dr Jefter Sakupwanya echoed Chisema’s sentiments and said relaying of information to the target community is the only way to go for now to avert the likely problems to people living downstream Tokwe-Mukosi Dam.
“We are sending warning so that people stop activities they were doing along river banks since the dam spilled,” said Dr Sakupwanya.
The country’s biggest inland dam, Tugwi-Mukosi once spilled for the first time in January 2021 following incessant heavy rains resulting in floods.
About eight years ago, government had to chip in to evacuate flood victims around the dam area who had to be relocated to Chingwizi area.