Written evidence submitted by the Commonwealth
Local Government Forum (CLGF) and the Local Government Association
of England and Wales (LGA)
A STRATEGY FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENGAGEMENT
WITH ZIMBABWE
INTRODUCTION
This paper seeks to set out a strategy for enhanced
international engagement in support of local government and restoring
essential local services and infrastructure in Zimbabwe. The envisaged
measures are to be co-ordinated by the Commonwealth Local Government
Forum, CLGF (among Commonwealth members) and the Local Government
Association of England and Wales, LGA (international and within
United Cities and Local Governments, notably European partners)
working in partnership with the responsible national local government
association in Zimbabwe, the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe,
UCAZ. This work will involve local government staff and resources
as well as international donor funding, both from bilateral and
multilateral sources, including the World Bank's Multi Donor Trust
Fund (MDTF).
At present urban and rural local government
in Zimbabwe are subject to different acts and legislation. There
currently exists a separate Association of Rural Districts of
Zimbabwe and discussions are at an advanced stage with UCAZ to
establish a united Zimbabwe Local Government Association (ZILGA).
ZILGA is already operational in shadow form as the process develops.
POLITICAL BACKGROUND:
REASONS FOR
ENGAGEMENT
In contrast to the political difficulties at
national level, local government in Zimbabwe received a democratic
mandate at the 2008 local elections which resulted in widespread
victories for the MDC. The party took power in almost all urban
councils and many rural councils (traditionally controlled by
ZANU-PF), often by overwhelming margins (eg 46 of 48 wards
in Harare went to the MDC). There is therefore a strong case that
local government in Zimbabwe should be viewed as separate from
central government and be accorded proper legitimacy and support
from donors in line with its democratic mandate so as to maintain
the grass roots momentum for democratic change.
This argument is re-enforced by the fact that
Zimbabwe local government has significant responsibilities for
local infrastructure and delivery of essential services, including
running local health clinics and providing primary healthcare,
critical in combating infectious diseases such as cholera. As
a result some of the humanitarian and related support by UNICEF
and NGOs eg essential chemicals for water purification, has been
made available to local government.
At national level a number of international
donors including the EU, Swedish SIDA and Canadian CIDA, have
already been providing funds to the Urban Councils Association
of Zimbabwe, UCAZ. A key priority is training of councillors,
given that some 90% of these were newly elected in 2008 and
lack experience. UCAZ, with support from CLGF/LGA, is also seeking
to access funds for local government from the MDTF.
INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT
TO DATE
With the political and other difficulties in
Zimbabwe in the period 2002-03, which resulted in Zimbabwe's suspension
and subsequent departure from the Commonwealth in late 2003, many
international local government partnerships, notably between councils
in Zimbabwe and councils in Canada and the UK, were disrupted
and discontinued.
The LGA and CLGF, have both maintained their
links with UCAZ and continued a local democracy enhancement project
initiated in mid 2003 with funding from the EU and the UK.
This project was undertaken in cooperation with UN Habitat and
involved support for UCAZ and a number of urban councils (both
MDC and ZANU-PF); it sought to assess the effectiveness of council
governance and service delivery structures and to develop change
plans to deal with problems identified. The project included an
innovative methodology of international local government peer
reviews, involving the city managers and mayors of external partner
councils. It was thereby also instrumental in maintaining Zimbabwe
local government's international links. On its conclusion in 2008,
the project received a highly positive evaluation and the EU and
other donors subsequently allocated funding to implement the change
plans and expand the work to other councils. Other local governments
in the SADC region, for example in Zambia, are moreover keen to
deploy the same methodology in their own countries.
In view of its existing commitment to Zimbabwe
and in response to the democratic nature of the 2008 local
elections, the CLGF Board agreed in late 2008 and again in
2009 to intensify support for local government in Zimbabwe
and a number of CLGF missions visited the country, including a
needs assessment team in February 2009 with experts from
South Africa and the UK. This identified critical needs faced
by local government in Zimbabwe, especially staff skills shortages
at all levels—senior managerial, professional, skilled and
semi-skilled. In response CLGF has accordingly sounded out several
of its members, including in Australia, Canada, India and South
Africa, about a coordinated programme of support. It has further
consulted with a range of Harare-based international donors and
stakeholders, including the ministers of local government and
international cooperation of the Inclusive Government.
Discussions have also taken place within the
global body representing local government, United Cities and Local
Governments (UCLG) and it has been agreed that the LGA, working
with CLGF, should take the lead in coordinating wider international
support, notably with the Dutch and Swedish LGA's, which have
maintained a strong interest in Zimbabwe.
In July 2009, a Commonwealth roundtable was
held in Johannesburg, attended by a range of local government,
professional and civil society partners from Commonwealth bodies,
including CLGF, SALGA and LGA, from inside Zimbabwe and from the
SADC region. This agreed to develop a Commonwealth Special Programme
for Zimbabwe, including in a wide range of social, economic, educational
and other sectors. One of the suggestions is to provide fellowships
for the Zimbabweans, especially those in South Africa and the
UK, including work experience within local councils. This matter
was raised with Commonwealth Heads of Government at their summit
meeting in Trinidad in November 2009.
CORE AREAS
OF SUPPORT
PROPOSED
As a result of such activities and building
on the various needs assessments undertaken, five core areas for
short-to-medium term support have been identified for Zimbabwean
local government;
1. Local Government input into the constitutional
review process
Assistance/technical advice to UCAZ/ZILGA to
ensure that local government's interest are incorporated in the
current constitutional review process, drawing on relevant African
and other international experience. A request for MDTF/other donor
support is being sought and being followed up through DFID (UK)
in Harare.
2. Councillor and staff training
In November 2009 CLGF/LGA provided materials/expertise
for in-country councillor training using already earmarked EU/other
funds. Thereafter it is planned to assist UCAZ/ZILGA develop an
on-going leadership training and up-skilling/mentoring programme
for both councillors and officials for which new funds will be
required. Such training could potentially include courses and
work placements undertaken in neighbouring countries, as well
as involving relevant international exposure and interaction with
peers from partner councils outside Zimbabwe.
3. Capacity-building for UCAZ/ZILGA
UCAZ/ZILGA has a key role in acting on behalf
of local government in Zimbabwe. Capacity-building for UCAZ, aimed
at strengthening its role as the national association of local
government and providing advice on managing the merger leading
to ZILGA is therefore a high priority. A three-year funding proposal
has been submitted to the EU and some limited co-funding is available
from VNG-Netherlands and other co-funding is being sought. It
is expected that this will also involve providing UCAZ/ZILGA with
the necessary capacity to make funding submissions to the MDTF
on behalf of its members.
4. Council-to-council partnerships, targeted
at meeting skills shortages and improving infrastructure and essential
local services
As indicated above, needs assessments have shown
critical shortages of council staff at all levels which is impacting
on the ability of councils to deliver effective services and restore
infrastructure. The LGA and CLGF are therefore meeting with UK
Councils on 1 February to discuss ways in which local authorities
in the UK can respond creatively and at little or no cost to the
needs of their Zimbabwean counterparts. Some UK-Zimbabwe partnerships
have continued in recent years, despite the difficulties and the
LGA is keen to encourage the strengthening of such support where
appropriate.
An immediate aim would be for partner councils
to provide technical advice and if possible short term staff and
other secondments to address critical skills shortages and improve
infrastructure and service delivery. As necessary, and especially
if MDTF and other donor support is available, this may also involve
longer-term secondments of skilled volunteers and recently retired
local government staff (eg engineers, planners, finance managers,
city administrators).
Support could also involve partner councils
taking on Zimbabweans (especially those in countries like South
Africa and the UK) for short term work experience in specialised
areas to give them professional exposure prior to taking on positions
in councils back home. Thereafter, more medium term city-to-city
partnership working on specific projects should be encouraged.
5. Community-based reconciliation
A key way to encourage political healing is
for local councils to encourage community-based initiatives aimed
at promoting reconciliation and community justice. In the short
term this can be linked to the existing UCAZ EU funded "City
Diplomacy" programme which builds on the previous CLGF local
democracy enhancement activity, drawing also on relevant experiences
from other Commonwealth countries (eg Northern Ireland, Uganda,
Sierra Leone, South Africa). A more expanded programme will also
need to be developed and funded, possibly from MDTF resources.
DEVELOPMENT PARTNER'S
ROUNDTABLE MEETING,
HARARE 18-19 FEBRUARY
2010
In association with UCAZ/ZILGA a meeting of
Zimbabwean local government, their international local government
partners and international donors will be held in Harare, 18-19 February
2010, at which both CLGF and LGA will be represented.
The aim of the event is to:
— Bring together ZILGA/UCAZ and existing
and potential local government partners at technical levels to
confirm priority areas of support and how partners can provide
direct contributions, building on needs analysis undertaken in
2009.
— Establish a joint mechanism for the effective
coordination, management and implementation of assistance between
ZILGA and its local government partners, based on the principles
of aid effectiveness.
— Confirm existing and potential areas
of cooperation and funding for the agreed priority areas of support
between local government partners and interested development partners.
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