Government to increase devolution funds to local authorities -President Mnangagwa

Harare (New Ziana) -The government plans to increase the devolution funds that it allocates local authorities next year, as the country aims to attain an upper middle-income economy by 2030, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Wednesday.

He was addressing mayors, town clerks, chief executive officers, chairpersons of Rural District Councils and councillors from all the local authorities in the capital.

President Mnangagwa reminded the local authorities to use 30 percent of their total revenue towards salaries and 70 percent towards service delivery.

He said the government is aware of concerns about and the need to release early, the actual allocated funds.

“My administration is committed to implement measures for the recapitalisation of local authorities’ infrastructure development including the ongoing Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP) which we will continue to support,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said it is not acceptable for local authorities to take a lackadaisical approach in collecting revenue on their own while mourning over the late release of devolution funds by the central government.

He implored elected officials in councils to desist from furthering their political party agendas since they cease to represent political parties once in council, but government officers with the mandate to further it’s vision, not that of the party.

“As we prepare for the 2024 financial income and expenditure estimates, and in line with our legal frameworks, councils must undergo consultation processes towards people centred policies, programmes and projects,” he said.

The Ministry of Local Government has been instructed not to approve any annual budget unless it demonstrates achievable service delivery levels and within the confines of the law, he explained.

President Mnangagwa also implored local authorities to work closely with local universities as they strive to modernise and being innovative in their services, taking advantage of the innovation hubs that the Second Republic introduced in the institutions of higher learning.

“Similarly, councils are encouraged to complete unfinished projects before dedicating resources for new ones,” he said.

He added that he gets disappointed to see dilapidated buildings along main roads, uncollected garbage, poor land use among other vices, adding that as a people’s government, it will continue to intervene whenever it is possible towards transforming the unacceptable state of affairs in the urban areas.

“We will not stand by and watch our urban areas being returned to medieval times where solid waste runs along streets,” he said, adding that service delivery should be prioritised and rate payers have a right to demand that heads roll in council for those who do not perform.

He warned elected council officials that for them to remain longer in their offices, they should respect the ordinary people who voted for them and desist from being their masters, but their servants.

In response to the high transport demand in urban centres across the country, President Mnangagwa said procuring more buses to service these areas remains high on the government agenda.

New Ziana