Mutare residents demand devolution

Saviour Kasukuwere

They demanded that government first implements fully the country’s new constitution before trying to amend laws.

Local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere, who is also Zanu PF national commissar has recently suspended elected opposition mayors in Harare and Gweru, in what is seen as attempt to give the ruling party control of towns and cities ahead of the next elections.

Tempers flared at a public hearing conducted by Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government, Rural and Urban Development at Sakubva Beit hall in the eastern border town last Wednesday.

The committee, which was chaired by Kadoma Central legislator Fani Phiri, had a torrid time trying to bring the meeting to order as residents lambasted the Zanu PF-led government, accusing it of taking them for a ride.

Residents who attended the meeting said government should fully implement the new constitution.

They said the amendment bill was a ploy by Zanu PF to give more powers to its local government minister to interfere with the operations councils ahead of the 2018 general elections.

Observers say the ruling party is under pressure ahead of the vote after failing to deliver on promises made when campaigning for the 2013 elections which it won.

Some of the pledges include creating 2,2 million new jobs and re-opening of closed industries.

Residents called on government to implement devolution of power which the people voted for in the new constitution.

United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust (UMRRT) programmes coordinator, Edson Dube, said government should first align laws to the new constitution.

He said Chapter 14 of the new constitution was clear about the issue of devolution of power.

“The constitution is clear that people should have right to government their own affairs,” he said.

“We see a situation where minister is just given powers to unceremoniously remove democratically elected officer bearers.

“Where are the tenets of democracy which we talk about? This is a serious violation of people`s rights.”

Meddlesome Kasukuwere

He condemned local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere’s practice of removing elected local authorities and replacing them with State appointed commissions.

“Why should we impose commissions on elected people?

“Please leave people who were voted to implement their plan of action until the end of their tenure,” said Dube.

James Mundenda of Governance and National Constitutional Educational Trust (GNCET) said government should “stop playing with people`s minds”.

He said devolution of power should be implemented first and amendments follow after that.

“How can we amend a constitution before we even use it? Let’s give life to devolution process first. We have a problem of policy inconsistency.

“We are not going anywhere as a nation because we always start new things every day before we implement old policies,” said Mundenda.

Memory Muzanechita of Zimbabwe Conference On Reconstruction and Development (Zimcord) said provincial and metropolitan councils should be put in place first before government talks of amendments to laws.

“We don’t want to give minister sweeping powers to do what he wants on elected people. We don’t want the councils to be accountable to the minister but the provincial councils.

“We want devolution, period. The minister will only intervene in serious matters but minor issue can be dealt at provincial level,” she said.

Farai Bhiza, a local resident, said if the government wanted to write another constitution it should go back to the people and get their views.

“We are saying an Act is under the Supreme law. Let’s start with devolution of power. The law is there to protect the citizens not to suppress them.

“We should be asking our provincial councils about the missing $15 billion from Marange; that’s devolution,” said Bhiza.