Organisation of Urban Communities for Devolution in Zimbabwe

Abstract

With Section 264 of the Constitution, Zimbabwe has included the new phenomenon of devolution in the running affairs of urban
communities. This is a result of the desire for participatory governance to disperse power. The local government system in
Zimbabwe has a troubled history that has inhibited citizens from participating in public affairs because it has been fashioned through
time by several laws that have not fostered an environment that encourages citizen involvement. An analysis of Section 264 of the
Zimbabwean Constitution shows that devolution tends to promote openness, efficiency, and effectiveness as well as the transfer of
obligations from the central government to provincial and municipal levels. It is believed that the progress in local government
accountability, effectiveness, and service delivery has been slowed down by the delayed implementation of devolution. This article's
goal is to evaluate the Constitution's Section 264 provisions and how putting those into practice can improve municipal government.