Calls are mounting for Zimbabwe to reinstate its executive mayor system, amid growing concern that elected mayors and councillors lack the authority needed to run local authorities effectively.
Government officials say the issue will be raised with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
The post of executive mayor was abolished in 2008 under the Local Government Laws Amendment Act No. 1 of 2008. The role was replaced with largely ceremonial mayors, while executive authority shifted to town clerks and council management teams.
The arrangement has remained contentious, with critics arguing it weakens democratic accountability by limiting the powers of elected officials while strengthening unelected administrators.
Debate in Parliament
The matter resurfaced in Parliament, where legislators said councillors and mayors are increasingly blamed for service delivery failures despite having limited executive authority.
During Wednesday’s question-and-answer session, MPs queried the effectiveness of the current local governance model, particularly in urban councils struggling with refuse collection and general administration.
Shamva South MP Joseph Mapiki questioned whether mechanisms existed to manage or remove non-performing officials.
“My supplementary question is, indeed the Minister said there is a problem with elections, but as a Harare resident I am asking: are there no other measures in place, such as a committee to manage people who are failing to perform their duties properly? If we continue like this towards 2030, it will be a challenge,” he said.
Responding, the Leader of Government Business, Dr Anxious Masuka, acknowledged public frustration over poor service delivery.
“If we continue to give responsibilities to those who have failed to deliver properly, it will not be acceptable,” said Dr Masuka, who is also Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
“What if we consider bringing in new people who are capable of delivering? I will take this matter to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.”
Ceremonial or executive?
The debate shifted when Chikanga MP Lynette Karenyi Kore argued that councillors and mayors were being unfairly blamed for failures largely attributable to council management.
She said mayors, though elected, perform mostly ceremonial duties under the current system.
“Local authorities are supposed to be run by elected officials, yet they lack executive power,” she said.
“What measures does the Government intend to implement to grant executive authority to mayors so that they can fulfil their duties effectively? At present, they appear to serve merely a ceremonial role.”
Dr Masuka defended the existing governance structure, saying council management teams are composed of technical experts responsible for implementing council decisions.
Elected councillors, he said, retain oversight through approving budgets, setting policy direction and monitoring how funds are used.
“Those working within management structures are experts in their respective areas,” he said. “The council makes decisions on what should be done and tasks the experts accordingly. It also determines budget allocations and ensures funds are used for their intended purposes.”
However, he acknowledged growing calls for a return to the executive mayor system, which operated in Zimbabwe in the early 2000s, and said he would convey the concerns to the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe.
“If provincial authorities are suggesting the establishment of an executive mayor, I will communicate this to the Hon Minister,” he said.
Dr Masuka added that any reinstatement of the executive mayor model would require clarity on the qualifications and competencies required for the role.
“We need to determine the qualifications required for this position. Office bearers must understand their responsibilities,” he said.
He also suggested that governance challenges could, in some cases, stem from the calibre of elected representatives.
“Perhaps councils are failing to elect individuals capable of executing specific tasks,” he said.
Linking the debate to ongoing service delivery challenges, particularly refuse collection in urban areas, Dr Masuka said the issue would be escalated.
“I will raise with the Hon Minister the matter of our failure to manage refuse and garbage collection,” he said.
“It appears we will continue to face these challenges until we find individuals capable of effectively executing these tasks.”