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Decentralisation: The way for Zimbabwe
Harare Residents' Trust (HRT)
October 09, 2012

So much has been said about what makes a good governance system for Zimbabwe. In the process there has been so much confusion that residents and other ordinary citizens no longer understand what is right or wrong. A decentralised system of governance provides a clear platform for public participation within clear systems and institutional mechanisms, which are put in place to foster genuine public participation.

Public participation in governance issues is not a piecemeal exercise where a group of individuals further their interests over the general populace. Citizens should be given a platform to fully participate in governance issues particularly in issues that affect their entire livelihood and broadly proffer solutions to the identified challenges within their communities. This model is being reviewed against a devolved state which increases the burden on the citizens through a bloated government at provincial council level and in the House of Assembly. These dual existences of both elected and appointed members at the provincial and national levels provide unnecessary pressure on an already ailing economy. Zimbabwe at this juncture is experiencing unprecedented levels of economic meltdown coupled with political uncertainty.

The "public outcry" on the need for devolution is ironically resonating from one region which the HRT strongly believe is not the conviction or understanding of the generality of Zimbabwe. The failure by COPAC to clearly and exhaustively define the mechanics surrounding the devolution model to the residents is one element which shows that the model is not being introduced in good faith and for the benefit of the ordinary Zimbabwean but it is being driven by a group of elites who are only pursuing their selfish political agendas, despite the huge cost to the nation and the welfare of ordinary people.

The HRT prefers a decentralised model of governance over devolution. Our understanding of these two structures is that they are not totally different if taken at face value. The English meaning of decentralization and devolution of power seem very similar when looked at superficially. However the important fact that needs to be realized when it comes to the governing power of a country is that decentralization amounts to the transfer of that power from the central government to a local authority be it a region, a province or a district while devolution is on the other hand the removal of central government power and handing that power over to a region, a province or a district. Decentralized power, if misused by a region, a province and or a district, could be recalled by Central Government while devolved power cannot be recalled by Central Government if misused by a region, a province and a district.

In the same vein COPAC has been trying to convince people to advocate for devolution but the HRT does not think our country can sustain that system of governance. At the moment the country needs governance structures that are ultimately accountable to Central Government in a decentralised model. With the rampant corruption across the nation, the situation will explode out of anyone's control if the regions have absolute powers over their citizens and resources. Decentralisation is the way to go at the moment, considering the size of Zimbabwe. In an article in the Newsday of 19 July 2012 titled "Groups decide on Devolution, "the Matabeleland Civic Society Forum opined that: "For us, we want to address devolution of power, public finances and the truth commission."

While this view might be shared by the majority in civil society in Matabeleland, it has to be examined from a national perspective, rather than from a regional perspective, as part of promoting national cohesion within the civic society movement and the generality of the population. In our view this view has trappings of elitism, and not championing the aspirations of the people in the whole Matabeleland region. As a residents movement our conviction is that there is need for a clear policy framework addressing decentralised governance through which the central government retains some power and authority over the operations of both the provincial and local government in order to maintain checks and balances of the lower tiers of governments' activities.

Presently, in the democratic discourse the country is grappling with corrupt councillors within urban and rural local authorities, including the City of Harare. There have been claims and allegations of massive corruption exhibited by councillors who have over a short period of time become excessively rich without any tangible investments to support their new statuses. This level of kleptocracy and lootocracy, being witnessed today, will be massive and uncontrolled in a devolved state. Surely this country will be taken aback with warlords and individual power havens being prevalent. It is a well-known fact that devolution is an intermediary phase from a unitary state towards a federal state.

Looking across the continent Nigeria is gripped with widespread destabilisation as a result of the insurgent group Boko Haram which demand insists on declaring independence from the Nigerian National Government. The residents demand a free and prosperous state habitating in peace tranquillity and harmony. Productive engagement among citizens, their elected representatives and service providers is still achievable under a decentralised governance system. What is needed is the complete opening up of government structures through a genuine political commitment from the politicians and the general change of the ethos and mindsets of bureaucrats to view residents as strategic partners in decision making, and projects implementation. This development will indeed go a long way in redefining the governance discourse in order to improve the delivery of public goods and services to the residents. This bickering over who does what in the constitution making process is not being premised on the wishes and aspirations of the heterogeneous citizenry but solely aimed at promoting and protecting individual interests and positions. Such a development has disastrous implications on the welfare of the residents as the generality of the residents do not benefit from the process.

Chapter 5 of the COPAC proposed draft Constitution from Subsection 1 to Subsection 7 it is not clear what is supposed to be done to an errant provincial government. There is no clear provision on who has the authority over the provincial government thereby making it wholly autonomous. This arrangement will leave the central Government with no authority over the provincial assemblies. In this vein there is an only subsection 1, 5, 7 which empowers "the joint sitting of the senate and the Parliament by affirmative of at least two thirds may nullify provincial legislation". This provision allows parliament and senate to nullify pieces of legislation which is not in line with national interests however the Parliament does not have absolute power to dissolve provincial government except to nullify the legislation. The central government will lose its oversight role in a manner which the provincial and local government operates, leaving the entire citizenry at the mercy of the provincial and local governments who have perennially failed to deliver the basic services to the heterogeneous citizenry.

The policy direction governing local government should be very clear; articulated and demystified to ensure the genuine involvement or participation of the residents. Citizens should be objective and non-partisan, conscious of Zimbabwe's socio-political and economical dynamics prevailing in our country before advocating for a model that creates disharmony among the citizenry. Citizens should be empowered to make independent decisions without being coerced into supporting or endorsing models of governance they do not understand. There is an urgent need to reorient our focus towards genuine nation building and desist from elitist and sectoral approaches to governance which may have disastrous consequences in the not so distant future.

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