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CHRA engages the youths in local government reforms
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
November 26, 2009

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) is conducting induction workshops on Local Government reforms for the youths. The Induction workshops, which are aimed to raise awareness among the youths on local governance issues and the democratization of Local Government in Zimbabwe, have been received with enthusiasm in the areas in which they have been conducted so far. The workshops are part of the resolutions that were made by the National Residents Associations Consultative Forum (NRACF) at a conference that was conducted in Bulawayo in December 2008. The NRACF is a social movement that consists of twenty residents associations from across Zimbabwe who came together to raise a coordinated national voice on the democratization of the local government framework in Zimbabwe in light of the constitution making process.

The workshops have since been conducted in Marondera, Chitungwiza and Norton. The subject matter that has been focused on at the induction workshops include:

• Situational analysis of the Local Government system in Zimbabwe: Identifying challenges and solutions
• Unpacking the Urban Councils' Act: strengths and weaknesses
• Stakeholder mapping: identifying the roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders in Local Government
• NRACF proposed Local Government Reforms
• Creating opportunities for Residents participation in the constitution making process

The issues that were raised during the plenary discussions and that were common in all the workshops include;

• The need to reform the local government legislation in Zimbabwe as there are no clear provisions on residents participation
• The local government legislative acts should be harmonized so as to avoid the confusion of having many legislative Acts.
• Local government laws should be enshrined in the constitution. Acts of parliament do not reflect the interests of residents as they are debated and constituted in parliament without the involvement of the grassroots communities.
• Residents should have powers of recall. They should have the power to fire or retain the councilors whom they have voted into office.
• There should be a provision in the new constitution that bars Central Government from interfering with the operations of Local Government. The role of Central Government should be limited to supporting and assisting Local Government with resources so as to improve service delivery.
• Mayors and Councilors should have executive powers because they are the democratically elected officials in Local Government. The current situation where political appointees are given executive powers to make decisions on behalf of residents should be done away with (the argument is that political appointees are not accountable to the electorate)

The participants at the workshops came up with action plans that include mass public meetings that will see the youths mobilizing residents in their areas to participate in the constitution making process. The public meetings will also be used as a platform for residents to discuss the local governance challenges that they are facing as well as share information on local government reforms. The youths in Marondera and Norton formed coordinating committees and these committees will be responsible for coordinating and mobilizing residents for future programmes.

CHRA remains committed to advocating for good and democratic local governance as well as lobbying for quality municipal services.

Visit the CHRA fact sheet

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