Press Release - BCC Should Recalibrate Budget Formulation Process


Date:              17 October 2013
Contact:         Emmanuel Ndlovu
                       Programmes and Advocacy Manager
                       Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)


BCC Should Recalibrate Budget Formulation Process

The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) is calling upon the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) to transform the way it formulates its budget as the current method is failing to adequately address the livelihood needs of residents. It is the association’s contention that the process is largely tokenistic, with the final determinations being arrived at by the local authority technocrats while the views of residents are largely discarded. In addition, only a handful of residents are consulted, with meetings inadequately publicised and the process designed in a top-down manner without much room for residents to shape the outcome of the consultations. While indeed residents are given room to air their views, there is no means for them to know how the final budget is arrived at. BPRA also feels that the once-off budget consultation meetings are inadequate to truly capture the views of residents on the budget. Methods such as surveys and ongoing meetings should also be considered.

BPRA believes that budgets should be crafted in line with the realities faced by the residents of Bulawayo. In tandem with this, they should be evolved to include a component that ensures that small grants are devolved to communities (wards or suburbs) to spend on things that they need. Such an approach would be pragmatic in light of the fact that the needs of communities across the 29 wards of Bulawayo differ. Thus in line with the principle of subsidiarity, it would be prudent for the budget to be moulded in line with the needs of communities, and for every community to be allocated grants for projects that need to be completed in that particular community. In such a scenario, consultations would have to be more rigorous, with a radical shift towards dialogic methods of including residents in budget consultations to ensure that the true needs of residents are captured in the budget formulation process.

BPRA believes BCC’s budget consultations are failing in this regard, with the views of residents from different realities being lumped together, leading to budgets that do not address pertinent issues faced by residents. This may explain why to date some areas in Cowdray Park still have no running water, while housing infrastructure in areas such as Sidojiwe Flats, Pelandaba and Iminyela is in a state of disrepair. Swimming pools in Barbourfields, Luveve and Mpopoma are not functioning, while elderly residents in areas such as Old Magwegwe, Makokoba and Mzilikazi are not receiving any social services from the local authority. BPRA believes these are everyday issues and problems that can be addressed if the budget process is recalibrated to focus on ward issues and if the views of residents from communities are actually considered in the formulation of the budget. 

Signed

.........................................................
Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu
Programmes and Advocacy Manager
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)


Press Release - Residents Call for Councillors to Declare Assets


Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)

Press Release

Date:               3 October 2013
Contact:         Emmanuel Ndlovu
                        Programmes and Advocacy Manager
                        Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)


Residents Call for Councillors to Declare Assets

Bulawayo residents under the aegis of the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) are calling upon incoming councillors to declare their assets as a means to deter corruption during their term of office. BPRA believes that it is only by declaring their assets that the new councillors can affirm their commitment to serving the residents of Bulawayo as opposed to using their positions to accrue wealth. In the past tenure of council there were allegations that some top brass councillors used their positions to acquire housing stands and assume control of shops that the local authority leases out. BPRA believes that this, together with high levels of corruption in Zimbabwean society, necessitates such far reaching mechanisms to ensure that holders of public office do not abuse their positions to enrich themselves. It will enable residents, civil society, the media and other whistleblowers to notice if any councillor abuses his/her position to enrich him/herself, serving as a deterrent for councillors who would otherwise engage in shady deals to gain wealth.

Asset declaration is a common practice for prevention of corruption in many African countries, including Nigeria where the constitution calls for the President to declare his/her assets. The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) which has been ratified by 166 countries calls for legal frameworks for asset declaration. It is BPRA’s contention that despite the absence of such a legal framework in Zimbabwe, it is still prudent for councillors to declare their assets as a means to curtail corruption in their operations. Zimbabwe itself ratified the UNCAC and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption in 2006, however to date the country has not come up with an asset declaration legal framework that will result in officials such as ministers, Members of Parliament, senior civil servants and councillors being required by law to declare their assets. BPRA believes that it is imperative for such legislation to be put in place as a means to combat corruption that is prevalent in Zimbabwe and that leads to the needs of citizens taking the back seat while public officials plunder resources.
 

Signed

.........................................................
Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu
Programmes and Advocacy Manager

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)