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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE Government will swear provincial councillors into office upon crafting and implementation of the devolution of power legislative framework in line with the country’s Constitution.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said Government would soon bring before Parliament the Devolution Bill which upon being promulgated into a law will see provincial councillors assuming their duties.

Members of the provincial councils were elected in the July 30 harmonised elections.

Responding to questions during the Senate Question and Answer session in Parliament last Thursday, Minister Ziyambi said Government was seized with the legislative framework to empower provincial councillors to assume their new roles.

“I want to thank the Honourable Member for the question which is very important as we have people who have been elected and are anxious to start work.

He is right that the 2013 Constitution provides for Provincial Councils to be in place. Again, the same Constitution, my learned friend is aware of it, provides that legislation must be put into place to give effect to the Provincial Councils,” said Minister Ziyambi.

“Part of the work that we have to do urgently is to ensure that we bring before Parliament that legislative framework that will give effect to the work of the Provincial Councils so that the councillors may be sworn in and the Provincial Councils constituted.”

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Government has promised to implement devolution which 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.

The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Cde July Moyo, recently said the political provisions of implementing devolution of power have been dealt with as Government is amending the Provincial Councils and Administration Act.

Devolution of power will see provinces crafting their own budgets unlike the old system where budgeting was centralised even for provincial developments.

President Mnangagwa said through devolution each province would have its own economic development plan underpinned by resources found in that province.

He said the economic plans will be crafted by provincial councils, led by provincial ministers, whose role should also be development-oriented.

President Mnangagwa said communities should benefit from resources in their areas under the devolved system. — @nqotshili.