Alert - BPRA Devolution Conference a Success


The Mayor of Bulawayo, councillor Martin Moyo delivering
the opening remarks at the devolution conference
BULAWAYO Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) successfully held its devolution conference on Friday 22 November 2013 where a framework for a devolved local government system in Zimbabwe that shall be used as a basis for advocacy on devolution was finalized. The devolution conference was attended by local governance stakeholders and residents association representatives from across Zimbabwe, members of the parliamentary portfolio committee on local governance, local parliamentarians and councillors. The Mayor of Bulawayo, councillor Martin Moyo officially opened the event. The core purpose of the conference was to collate and validate the findings of a nationwide consultation exercise that BPRA undertook throughout the country’s ten provinces to gather the views of Zimbabweans on how devolution in the country should be structured and operationalized. It also served as a platform to come up with a nationwide advocacy strategy on devolution of power to be implemented at the local level in all of Zimbabwe’s ten provinces.

Among the issues that were addressed at the conference were questions to do with the preferred levels of government, the geographic units of governance, the distribution of functions and responsibilities of provincial councils, allocation of resources, institutions of governance and the relationship between central government and provincial councils. Also addressed were issues to do with how devolution of power can ensure promotion of all the country’s languages and how it can ensure that local areas benefit from the resources that they are endowed with.

A plan for advocacy on devolution of power in all the country’s ten provinces was also mapped following agreement by delegates that there was need for a synchronised and coordinated approach to advocacy on devolution. It was agreed that residents associations in their localities in all the ten provinces of Zimbabwe would target communities, churches and traditional leaders in an effort to generate debate on devolution of power and demystify the concept. Other targets would include the ministry of local government, the local government board, the parliamentary portfolio committee on local government, the council of chiefs, parliamentarians and senators, using strategies such as public meetings, road shows, concerts, publications and advocacy meetings. The rationale behind the activities would be to mobilise people to support devolution and lobby decision makers and leaders on the concept. Delegates also stressed the need for increased momentum on advocacy and lobbying on devolution of power to ensure that the country realizes the gains on devolution of power that were ushered-in with the signing of a new constitution earlier this year. 

The conference was held as part of BPRA’s ‘Local Governance Project’ which sought to take advantage of the devolution provisions enshrined in Chapter 14 of the new constitution to lobby parliamentarians on the form and content of the devolution law that the country will adopt. The project was aimed at ensuring that the devolution of power adopted by the country is premised on the principles of active citizen participation, transparency and accountability.

Regards
Information Department
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association
Bus. Tel: +263 9 61196
Cell: +263 772 516 729


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