Midlands receives $41m for devolution Embrace devolution, rural district councils urged
THE Midlands Province has received the $41,6 million it was allocated in the 2019 National Budget for devolution programmes.
Addressing stakeholders during the Midlands Devolution Conference at a local lodge on Friday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo said Government was committed to seeing the success of the devolution exercise and had dispersed $320 million to provincial councils.
He said rural district councils and urban councils in the Midlands province had been allocated about $41, 6 million - money he said should be used to push socio-economic growth of the province.
“Chirumhanzu RDC will get about $1,6 million, Gokwe North and South RDC’s $1,4 and $2,3 respectively, Zibagwe $2,1 million, Mberengwa $1,3 million, Tongogara $2,4 million, Runde $2,8 million, Gweru $3,4 million, Kwekwe $4 million, Redcliff $4,8 million, Zvishavane $4,8 million, Gokwe Town $4,7 million and Shurugwi $4,8 million.
‘‘The funds released to these urban and rural local authorities are for development and they are an indication or commitment by the Government to see the success of devolution,” said Min Moyo.
“The allocation of the funds was done in line with the needs of specific local authorities for example the issue of water needs to be addressed in Redcliff and the issue of sewer rehabilitation needs to be addressed in Zvishavane and that is why they are getting different amounts.”
Minister Moyo said devolution is captured in two chapters of the Constitution namely Chapter 2 which deals with the political arrangements and Chapter 14 which deals with the financial provisions.
He said the new dispensation has seen it fit to follow the provisions of the 2013 constitution which provided for the decentralisation of the country’s wealth in each province with the community actively participating in the development matrix.
Addressing the same conference, the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mangaliso Ndhlovu said transferring responsibilities and resources from national Government to provincial and metro councils and local authorities will result in communities managing their own affairs to further their development.
“My ministry is represented in five RURAL district councils have been urged to embrace the concept of devolution as they seek to tackle marginalisation and improve the standard of living for the people in their jurisdiction.
Speaking at a devolution conference in Gweru on Friday, Local Government, Public Words and National Housing Minister July Moyo said RDCs should not lag behind in the national devolution process as it seeks to build their gross domestic product.
Minister Moyo said RDC’s with economic disparities will also be assisted to raise the standard of living for people in such areas.
He said economic plans will be crafted by provincial councils led by provincial Ministers, whose role should also be development-oriented.
“This devolution programme is based on the fact that economic development must start from the bottom going up. In fulfilment of Section 301 sub-section 2(d) of the Constitution, we are closely working on addressing marginalisation. We are looking at marginalisation in health, education, roads, electricity and all infrastructure projects.
‘‘RDC’s must therefore, embrace this concept so that issues to do with marginalisation are addressed so that the standard of living by people is improved. Here in the Midlands province, you should be able to identify areas where you are experiencing marginalisation be it in terms of quality and access to essential resources for development. It is not just about buildings but quality as well,” said Minister Moyo.
He urged local authorities to start working closely with tertiary institutions in terms of research on marginalisation and how it can be addressed.
regions namely Harare, Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands and Manicaland and we are planning to establish offices in all provincial centres and districts. Decentralisation will ensure implementation of constitutional provisions relating to devolution. Decentralisation will ensure inclusive and balanced national development,” he said.
“Here in the Midlands province you should start working with the Midlands State University to research and measure marginalisation and come up with ways on how best it can be addressed and even inform government policies,” he said.
Minister Moyo said the province must take advantage of the great dyke and invest in mineral exploitation.
“Devolution is about enhancing fiscal capacities of local areas through exploiting the available resources. Midlands is endowed with vast minerals hence the need to fully invest in exploitation of mineral resources. We will next week be in Silobela to commission a Gold centre. That is part of devolution,” he said.
Gokwe North and Mberengwa districts have often been identified as marginalised districts in the Midlands Province.
Meanwhile, Government, through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, recently allocated $310 million in the 2019 National Budget for devolution.
Also addressing the same meeting, the deputy Minister for Mines and Mining Development Min Polite Kambamura said his ministry was also working establishing gold buying centres across the country.
He said they were also working on availing mining equipment to artisanal miners for safe and productive mining.