Public Policy and Administration Review 1(1); June 2013 pp. 26-48 Jonga The Minister of Local Government’s Intrusions in Urban Councils’ Administration Wellington Jonga (Mr) Lecturer University of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Open University and Ethiopian Civil Service University Zimbabwe Introduction The article discusses a number of issues that The political setup in addition, violets all makes the Minister of Local Government a principles of human rights. Where politicians liability in the administration of local become bandits they formulate policies that governments. He is basically a political bandit enrich themselves, their families and friends. In because whatever he does in the Ministry is Zimbabwe, policies like the indigenization, meant to benefit ZANU-PF and never the urban economic empowerment, land and many others or rural communities. The Ministry of Local fit the banditry policies. The ordinary (povo) are Government has been used over now a long not benefiting from any of such policies. The period of time by ZANU-PF political prostitutes povo is used to support the policies but the to fight influential progressive parties like the politicians how have political power and support Movement for Democratic Change. of the security sectors corruptly and aggressively or hawkishly grabs the benefits. A political bandit like Chombo is a person who even if he/she knows very well that whatever The failure of ZANU-PF to garner support in he/she is doing is wrong but for the of politics, urban areas has often left the ZANU-PF support of his/her party or for the sake of Governments housed especially in Harare by acquiring naked power he/she will adopt and MDC urban councils. It is like ruling a country implement the wrong policies or strategies that without a capital city. This scenario has haunted sacrifice the will of the people. The philosophy, ZANU-PF politicians now for years. However, ideology or approach is adopted by politicians the Minister of Local Government, Ignatius who believe that the ordinary man and women Chombo was chosen as strategic to harass and do not have power and they cannot defend they dismiss the MDC urban councils and replace interests against state security institutions. It is them with Commissions and special interests and approach based on the belief that force by councillors. The political banditry also arises the state under the ruling party will be used because the Minister’s approach is tantamount to against descending voices. It is also an approach subverting legally elected urban councils and that is entertained by politicians who are replacing them with hand-picked councillors and deceiving and who believe in suedo democracy. commissioners. These commissioners and This democracy that is based on lying about special councillors are putting ZANU-PF into democratic governance and that uses force, power by back door. Thus the Minister is oppression and other systems of violence to unilaterally usurping the power of the voters and suppress freedoms like that of speech, urban councils. association, justice and rule of law. © American Research Institute for Policy Development 26 www.aripd.org/ppar Public Policy and Administration Review 1(1); June 2013 pp. 26-48 Jonga The shameful acts of the Minister and his Councillors have been crying for this and that to political bandit ideas have left the urban councils be implemented without success. In other in total conflict with the mother Ministry. The words, the employees deride the calibre of the conflicts are multi-dimensional and some of councillors, whom they hardly respect. them will be discussed in the following Residents alike have complained but have not paragraphs. The discussion center on how the received a shadow of what they should receive media has depicted Chombo’s conflicts with in terms of service delivery. It appears the city local governments. has been privatised and information about Research methods and objectives developments is regarded top "secret". But again is this a healthy and sustainable situation? It is an analytical desk research. The data was Is this the Harare we want? Is this the type of gathered through review of documents management we want? Why should we have a particularly the newspapers’ reports. The management that requires ministerial push to do objectives to analyse the authority and power of its job? Does the challenge lie with the Local the Minister of Local Government in Government Board that approves the Zimbabwe, to scrutinize the relationships employment of all senior managers? Is it that between the Ministry and local governments and the board is manned by incompetent people who the impact of such a relationship on service appoint equally incompetent managers? The provision. Local Government Board was put in place to Critical questions about zimbabwe urban ensure that local authorities, especially the areas smaller ones do not end up with inappropriate managers. In the Herald (9 March 2012), Michael Chideme wrote an interesting article about Zimbabweans’ Questions are further asked by Chideme that, dreams about municipalities they want. It is this Why is it that the board approves for article that will form the basis of debate in this appointment second or third-rate candidate for project. The vision of Zimbabwean s have been each post? Whose interests is the board serving? spoilt and urinated on (like napoleon urinating My view is that Minister Chombo should not be on Snowball’s plans in the book Animal Farm). calling for these meetings to enforce that action The government has managed to dampen the on service delivery is taken. The Minister's job spirits of many in formed citizens. Central should actually be very light. Whoever is government has dragged the once robust and Minister of Local Government should actually financial stable organizations into bankruptcy meet local authorities such as Harare to give compliments and not to read the Riot Act. and bad governance. The future of urban councils in Zimbabwe is vague. What has become apparent during these In the article, ‘Why wait for intervention’ ministerial meetings is that there is a lot of lying Chideme narrates that many questions have and name dropping as excuses by some top been asked for some time on who really calls managers not to do certain things. Councillors the shots at Town House. Is it Mayor have been made to believe that Minister Muchadeyi Masunda, Local Government, Rural Chombo is all out to get them out of office, as and Urban Development Minister confirmed by Clr Panganayi Charumbira, at a Ignatius Chombo or the residents of Harare? recent meeting. He expressed relief that Chideme alleges that the reasons for the Minister Chombo was fatherly and was willing questions are somehow justified as the city to work with the MDC-T councillors confirming management only explodes into action when that he had been misinformed. Minister Chombo demands action. © American Research Institute for Policy Development 27 www.aripd.org/ppar Public Policy and Administration Review 1(1); June 2013 pp. 26-48 Jonga Clr Peter Moyo complained that attempts to Pro-ZANU-PF militia/gangs like meet the minister were being blocked. Ever Chipangano in Harare since Minister Chombo met with the Harare Poor housing provision management led by Town Clerk Dr Tendai Mashrooming of squatter camps Mahachi and councillors led by Mayor Masunda Potholes there has been a remarkable improvement in Lack of drugs and sometimes qualified service delivery. Dr Mahachi spoke with personnel in clinics and hospitals renewed vigour in front of the Minister and Lack of maintenance of street lighting, etc. promised to invest up to US$350 million in service delivery this year alone. He had spent Many Harare residents believe the problems the previous two weeks holed in planning services provision are coming from the meetings at the behest of Minister Chombo. Had leadership the Minister of Local government the Minister not prodded him to act what would (Chombo). In the Daily News Paper (10 April have been the situation? 2013) boldly explains, “Chombo the root of Harare's woes, that is why nobody will be In addition, Chideme continues to attack when voting for Chombo during the coming the states that why did he require the minister to elections!” A resident in the same paper ask for a work plan in the first place? In a commented about the Mayor’s (Masunda) salary normal set up the Town clerk should have which is unbelievably too high for an institution drawn a comprehensive and well-researched that is under performing like the City of Harare consultative document to share with the and indicates, “how can Masunda get $15 000 Government. Instead of reporting in the past salary a month when we don’t have water? Also tense what is happening is that the majority of all councillors must fore go their salaries ‘kuti directors were reporting in future tense. tizive kuti havasi maSharki’ so that we do not The issue is the departments of urban councils view them as Sharks.” Moderate urbanites are must perform to satisfy the clients. It is not the apportioning the blame on the minister and all duty of the Minister to chase employees and the councillors. councillors to provide needed services. Commitment to one’s work has a good Residents accuse the councillors of widespread motivating effect. corruption. However, the MDC Party alleges to Chombo’s interventions in service provision be dealing effectively with all corrupt councillors and criminal activities that have Residence of Harare and other suburbs in been identified. Party politicking between different towns and cities of Zimbabwe have ZANU-PF and MDC have created a situation complained about despicable service provisions. where firing of corrupt councillors is difficult. It seems the administrations led by MDC and The two parties blame each other for ZANU-PF Parties have failed to redeem people administrative problems in the municipalities.