Zimpapers Logo

Perspective Stephen Mpofu
Local authorities collectively form a critical chain in linking ratepayers to central government in the campaign for social development for the benefit of both rural and urban residents. If the link is weak, however, any anticipated upliftment of the lives of ordinary people in particular is retarded or proceeds at a lackadaisical pace. Residents will point angry fingers at the government for paying lip service to the development of all citizens of the State.

Which is why this pen salutes the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, for unleashing the police and the anti-corruption commission on councils to weed out corrupt councillors and officials whose anti-social behaviour amounts to an impediment to effective service delivery to the people.

It is understood that some councillors have already been questioned by the police as the government moves in to stamp out any corrupt practices hampering improvement to the welfare of residents. Concerned about the misdeeds of some councillors and officials, Cde Kasukuwere recently ordered an audit into Harare City Council’s business entities and joint ventures, most of which have not been contributing to the city’s revenue.

Minister Kasukuwere, who is also the Zanu-PF National Political Commissar, recently suspended City of Gweru councillors and officials to pave the way for investigations into allegations that they allocated themselves residential stands at sub-economic rates ahead of those on council’s waiting list, among other charges.

That fat-cats in the councils have piled up layer upon layer of fat on themselves — with top officials heaving wheel barrows laden with their pay — while no visible development commensurate with the rates paid by the residents may be seen in many cities.

Roads in some urban residential areas, for instance, appear as though they have been strafed by warplanes, with motorists bemoaning rates they paid that appear to have melted into thin air. Local authorities, apparently, bat no eyelids to the conditions of the roads, not to mention dilapidated buildings with paintwork peeling off to resemble snakes shedding their skin. In some cases refuse collection and disposal is done as a favour to rate payers, rather than the obligation that it is and has always been, for councils.

In some urban areas people have built houses wherever their fancy took them and this has meant blocking pathways for floods in some places with the risk of homes being damaged or washed away during heavy rains. The haphazard way in which houses, some of them sub-standard, are situated make nonsense of good standards of town planning.

Clearly, it can be said without exaggeration that some councils in this country are not up to scratch in their operations. But perhaps this is not surprising because as far as this pen can remember, government has not in a very long time superintended the councils, both rural and urban, in a way that should make officials and councillors realise at all times that “Big Brother” is watching them and that any misdemeanor by them will not go unpunished.

In a situation such as this, where those running the affairs of the local authorities seem to believe that they are a law unto themselves, would it surprise anyone if those that are in the political opposition use the councils as cats-paws to enrich themselves regardless of any damage caused by their nefarious actions?

That will no doubt be the way they deem proper in fixing the ruling party and the overall image of its government in a bid to cause it to fall from grace.

The bottom line to all this is that local authorities must be seen to be supportive of government’s efforts in improving the lot of the people as should other, quasi-state enterprises as well as private businesses and organisations in our beautiful country.

That some councils should have their leaders subjected to investigation is certainly a sad commentary even on those local authorities that seem to realise that their mission is to effectively develop the motherland. This is because the dark shadow of the cloud of corruption hovering over councils, now in the spotlight of investigation, would appear also to be cast over even those councils whose image has so far not been tainted by allegations of corrupt tendencies.

Above all else, if local authorities do not discharge their mandate as efficient and dependable arms of the government, those who look to them for sustenance will have any hopes of a better future dashed. And where people lose hope, they resign themselves to their fate, losing motivation for helping their government and themselves in making Zimbabwe a better place to live.

Therefore, the blitzkrieg by Cde Kasukuwere should be intensified to leave no stone unturned as it were, so that any and all dandruff hibernating in councils is cleaned out.