Bulawayo (New Ziana) -The Second Republic is intensifying efforts to implement the devolution agenda with billions having so far been pumped into developmental programs and projects, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Local Government and Public Works Minister Winston Chitando said on Thursday this when he made a virtual presentation to a symposium for the National Development Strategy 1 thematic working group on devolution and decentralization.
He said infrastructure projects being implemented have tremendously improved the living standards of the majority of people who mainly reside in rural areas.
“Under the devolution, resources have been disbursed for capital projects to all local authorities as guided by section 301 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. As you are all aware, the government took a decision to implement devolution as espoused in the Constitution,” he said.
Chitando said the country`s leadership has underscored the need to fully embrace devolution as a strategy to facilitate rapid economic growth and development.
“Currently, we are in the process of implementing devolution as prescribed by the Constitution. The Constitutional provisions on devolution are yet to be fully implemented with subsidiary legislation and policy guidelines still being drafted,” he said.
“In the same vein, citizens have high expectations on the process of devolution, once the legislation has been implemented. Devolution will see the transfer of some responsibilities from central government to provincial councils, metropolitan councils and local authorities.”
Responsibilities to be devolved include powers to formulate budgets and implementing them effectively on time in order to produce requisite services, Chitando explained.
Communities would have participatory democracy, deriving benefits from the exploitation of resources in their areas, he explained.
“All the decision-making powers pertaining to the plan and implementation of provincial development projects will be vested in councils themselves. The local authorities thus will be engines and drivers of economic growth,” said Chitando.
The government started implementing devolution in 2019 by supporting areas including water and sanitation as well as construction of roads, clinics and schools, creating thousands of jobs for the youths in the process.
New Ziana
