AG's office short staffed to work on Devolution Bill

• Published date: 24 February 2023
• Publication title: The Zimbabwean

Devolution entails the transfer of power from the central government to the local government level; however, lack of an operationalisation act has made it difficult for local councils to function effectively meaning decentralisation remains a pipe dream for Zimbabweans who voted for it in the 2013 constitutional referendum. Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Marian Chombo, said there was a shortage of draft personnel to work on the bill when asked recently in the Senate why there is a delay in implementing devolution.

I understand and agree that the Bill is late but we have done everything that we are supposed to do within our Ministry. Right now, the Bill is sitting at the AG's office.

We have queried with the Ministry of Justice and they have hinted that they are short-staffed as far as that area is concerned but they are doing the best they can to make sure that they address that resource shortage so that they push through outstanding Bills," Chombo said. This came after Senator Chief Ndlovu inquired as to why the Devolution Bill had not been introduced in Parliament and observed that "no-one seemed to know what was happening" following some follow-ups with councillors on how devolution funds were spent.

Senator Morgan Komichi also stated that, due to the lack of a Devolution Act, councillors did not perform their duties as expected in 2013 until another election period arrived and elapsed in 2018. The Act was supposed to come to this august House and the Honourable Minister took it back. The provincial councils have not been enacted and are not working.

The expectations have not been met. Elections are about to take place.

Why is this happening...