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A framework for a devolved local government system in Zimbabwe - a discussion paper
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)
September 09, 2013

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Introduction

Zimbabwe is a unitary state that has devolved power to its ten provinces. Devolution of power was inserted as a compromise into the new Zimbabwe constitution by popular demand, especially through relentless advocacy of civil society organizations and residents’ associations. Of course, two of the three political parties that negotiated the new constitution had adopted devolution as one of their cornerstone to local governance.

While the constitutional provision for devolution of power to the provinces is salutary and a major victory for all progressive democratic forces advocating for equal access and distribution of national resources, transparency and sustainable people centered development; the victory could turn out to be pyrrhic. Why and how could this be so? It is because the actual provisions of devolution of power remain undefined and subject to an Act of Parliament yet to be crafted and passed. The Act will either grant effective power to the provinces thus enabling the success of devolution or curtail it hence consigning devolution of power to a stillbirth in Zimbabwe. The latter possibility may be avoided because the political structures of the provincial councils are already in place and would be instrumental in framing legislative and executive powers to be bestowed on them by the Act of Parliament.

The reality that currently elected legislators shall define the nature, scope and extent of devolution of power to the provinces offers very real opportunities for participatory and stakeholder in put in crafting the Act of Parliament on Devolution of Power. It is against this backdrop that this framework on devolution is drafted in order to be the reference and guide towards a participative crafting of real devolution of power in Zimbabwe. This framework highlights and raises major concerns for debate by stakeholders in all the ten provinces; the concerns that legislators would not be unwise to overlook when debating the Bill on devolution of power.

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