Ministry of Local Government,Public Works and National Housing

About Local Government:

At the cornerstone of government policy is the understanding that local government is concerned with local democracy and the decentralisation of designated powers and responsibilities from central government to lower tier structures. It has therefore been seen fit to establish sub-national institutions in the form of Urban and Rural District Councils in the urban and rural areas respectively which are nearer to the people and therefore can more speedily attend to the challenges and developmental issues peculiar to their areas of jurisdiction. In a bid to ensure maximum participation in decision making and overall development in the rural areas, the government has gone further to establish ward and village assemblies which uphold the role of traditional leadership.The system of local government in Zimbabwe provides a sound arrangement within which local people fulfil and exercise their democratic rights. Secondly, as development is a collaborative endeavour, the local government approach allows the combination of local and national resources in local development. 

THE HISTORY

Historical developments for local government in urban areas:

The local government system, especially for urban areas dates back to the early 1890s with the Salisbury Sanitary Board having been established in 1891. The first municipal law was passed in 1897, which converted Salisbury and Bulawayo into municipalities. The municipal council was patterned on the British tradition, in terms of its functions and finance. The urban settlements were patterned on racial lines in terms of residential areas. Blacks were pushed to poor African townships with limited services while the whites and coloureds occupied better areas of the urban settlements respectively.

Historical developments for local government in rural areas:

Historically, the development of the so called ‘Native Reserves’ was given a very low priority since the settlers appeared in the then Rhodesia in the 1890s up to the late 1930s by central government, except in fields such as dipping where a lack of service could have a detrimental effect on the development of livestock in white areas. The Native Council Act of 1937 saw the creation of native councils to deal with affairs of blacks. The 1957 African Councils Act broadened the powers of the councils and emphasis was laid on decision making on local initiatives. Decision making was largely in the hands of the then District Commissioner who had the position of President of all councils in his district. The commercial farming areas were for Europeans only and had their own independent administration. Their areas were administered by road committees, which were later transformed into Rural Councils in 1966. Unlike the African Councils, Rural Councils were accorded powers similar to those of the Urban Councils in the spheres of public services. In 1980, immediately after Independence, African Councils were abolished and 55 District Councils established in their place. The dualistic nature of local government in rural areas continued until 1995 when District Councils and Rural Councils were amalgamated to form 58 Rural District Councils. 

CURRENT STRUCTURE

URBAN COUNCILS:

There are twenty-eight Urban Councils which have been established throughout the country as provided for in the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15]. While these are established under the same Act, the urban councils have been accorded different status.

Local Boards

The lowest on the hierarchy of urban councils are local boards established in settlements that have very small populations but have a potential to grow into big urban centres. Local Boards are also established where a centre has peculiar circumstances and where they would require Government assistance to sustain themselves There are four such local boards established at Hwange, Ruwa, Epworth and Chirundu.

Town Councils

The second on the hierarchy are town councils which are 8 in number namely Karoi, Norton, Shurugwi, Zvishavane, Rusape , Chipinge, Plumtree and Chiredzi. These are centres that have grown from service centres in the rural areas to a size sufficient for them to stand alone.

Municipal Councils

There are ten municipal councils which occupy the third position in the hierarchy of local authorities. These include, Bindura, Chegutu, Chinhoyi, Chitungwiza, Gwanda, Kariba, Marondera, Masvingo, Redcliff and Victoria Falls.

City Councils

The councils with the highest status in the country are the city councils established in Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, Kwekwe and Kadoma.

The Election System 

Urban Councils, with the exception of Chirundu Local Board, are divided into wards for the purpose of electing councillors. Local Boards and Town Councils are headed by a chairman who is elected from among the councillors, by the councillors at their first meeting following a general election. General elections are held every four years. In the case of Municipal and City Councils, an Executive Mayor is elected every four years by all residents to head Council. Unlike the local board and town council chairman, the Executive Mayor holds office on a full time basis and exercises executive powers conferred on him/her by the Urban Councils Act.

The Executive

Local Boards and Town Councils employ Town Secretaries to head their administrations while the Municipal and City Councils’ are headed by Town Clerks. Different heads of departments deputise the head of administration. The executive are responsible for the implementation of Council decisions and for the day to day running of Council affairs.

Powers of Urban Councils

The legislation governing the operations of urban councils confers on them a wide range of powers, which include:

Water for domestic, commercial or industrial areas

Hospitals, clinics, ambulances, maternity and child welfare

Schools, libraries, theatres and musical and scientific institutions

Provision of housing and transport facilities

Construction and maintenance of drains, sewers, bridges, parking

Cleansing and refuse removal disposal

Prevention of air, land and water pollution

Operation of fire brigades and municipal police

Street lighting

Public places

Provision of parks

Recreation grounds and open spaces

Financing 

The main sources of revenue of Urban Councils in Zimbabwe are:

The levying of assessment rates on property

Receipts from ‘trading’ accounts (e.g. sale of water)

Tariffs or fees for services rendered

Registration and licensing of motor vehicles

Education and health grants as well as road grants for roads in their areas.

Loans for capital works from central government through the National Housing Fund in respect of housing, General Loan Fund in respect of other infrastructure like water and sewerage reticulation, roads and storm water drainage.

Loans from the open market after obtaining necessary borrowing powers from the Minister.

RURAL DISTRICT COUNCILS

There are fifty-eight Rural District Councils, which have been established throughout the country as provided for in the Rural District Councils Act [Chapter 29:13]. 

Elections and composition

All Rural District Councils have been divided into wards for the purpose of electing councillors. These Councils are headed by a chairman who is elected from among the councillors, by the councillors at their first meeting following a general election which is held every four years. In addition to the elected councillors the Minister also appoints up to three Chiefs from within any given Council area for the purposes of representation of the traditional leaders.

Executive Functions

All RDCs employ Chief Executive Officers to head their administrations. Deputising the head of administration are heads of departments who, in a typical council are the Treasurer, Executive Officer Administration, Executive Officer Health and Executive Officer Projects. Some RDCs have established technical departments headed by graduate engineers who are also assisted by professional town planners.

Financing

The main sources of revenue for Rural District Councils are:

The imposition of land development levy on owners of land, mining locations, licensed dealers and permit holders in communal land

Receipts from ‘trading accounts (e.g. sale of water)

Tariffs or fees for services rendered

Registration and licensing of motor vehicles

Grants for education, health and roads

Loan funds from government for capital works for those councils administering small urban centres. (National Housing Fund in respect of housing, and General Loan Fund in respect of other infrastructure works such as water and sewerage reticulation or roads and storm water drainage)

Powers of Rural District Councils

The delegated powers and responsibilities to Rural District Councils through the first schedule of the Rural District Councils Act include a wide range of functions. These range from the provision of social services such as health and education, to the construction and maintenance of various infrastructure such as sewage works, roads and dams. Though they are the key players in the provision of these, central government is bound by national policy to provide resources through the national fiscus, to ensure that the local authorities perform their responsibilities as provided for in the Act.

In addition to the powers bestowed upon them, Rural District Councils are the Development and Planning authorities within their respective areas of jurisdiction. In this regard, the Act empowers them to plan for the overall development of the Districts. As such, they have periodic plans, namely short, medium and long term plans. The plans serve as a basis of annual budgets. As development and planning authorities, they are also expected to be aware and guide of all developmental activities carried out by government and non-governmental organisations and the private sector within their areas of jurisdiction. Any development that takes place within the Rural District Council area of jurisdiction should be carried out within the provisions of the councils priorities and approved development plans to allow for a co-ordinated and collective approach to development.

Rural District Councils are also the land allocating authorities within their respective areas of jurisdiction. In terms of the Communal Land Act, Rural District Councils are the land authorities and are therefore responsible for the allocation of land within their areas of responsibility. However, this allocation is carried out within the confines or provisions of traditions and customs of which it is commonly accepted that the traditional leadership are the custodians. This in essence means that whilst the local authority is the land authority, land allocation is carried out hand in hand with the traditional leadership whose role is acknowledged and appreciated.

THE FUTURE

Although Zimbabwe has a relatively advanced system of local government, the Government of Zimbabwe is constantly looking for ways of enhancing and developing the system. Cabinet approved the Local Authorities Revitalisation Policy in 2005. This policy sets out the framework for improving local authorities and enabling them to provide the services expected of them. This will be achieved in four areas :-

The improvement of institutional management systems

The provision of financial assistance by Government in the form grants and loans. This funding will be used for both capital development and recurrent expenditure.

The development of Turnaround Strategies for all local authorities.

The recapitalisation of local authorities for the replacement of obsolete heavy equipment

Work has started in the compilation of a draft single Local Government Act so as to harmonise the work of all local authorities and traditional leaders. The new Act will also take cognisance of the changing situation on the ground. Once the draft is compiled, a white paper will be issued for wide discussion.

Address:

Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing

P. Bag 7706 Causeway, Harare
Makombe Building
Cnr L./Takawira/H. Chitepo Road
Harare
Zimbabwe