Story by Josephine Mugiyo, Diplomatic Correspondent
BULAWAYO – PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa says the work of councils must be guided by the best interests of the constituencies that elected them into power.
He was addressing over 2000 delegates drawn from the 92 councils across the country at the 4th edition of the All Councils Indaba in Bulawayo this Thursday.
The Head of State said local authorities must be able to benchmark their work and assess progress as they prioritise service delivery in areas that include waste management and housing.
“As councillors, you came from the people, you were elected by the people, you campaigned among the people, and you promised to deliver to the people. Whatever you do must be guided by the best interests of those you put you there,” he said.
He also noted the need to constantly monitor and track the performance of local authorities as this enables the government to intervene before systems collapse.
“I challenge you to constantly track performance. We should be able to intervene before systems collapse. That is only achievable if there is constant monitoring by leadership,” the President said.
President Mnangagwa also spoke on the need to guard against nepotism in the employment systems of councils.
“Let us avoid nepotism when employing and make sure competent people are employed.”
The 4th Council Indaba saw the launch of the Minimum Service Delivery Standards and the Urban State Land Management Policy, which are meant to standardise service delivery and improve transparency.
