EU capacitates local authorities

TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO

The European Union (EU) has capacitated local authorities with skills meant to strengthen the institutions, Business Times can report.

Local Government and Public Works permanent secretary, Zvinechimwe Churu, who spoke at a virtual Local Authority Capacity Enhancement Project (LACEP 2), said local authorities needed strengthening of systems to improve their financial positions.

“These include manuals such as the draft accounting manual, the councillors guide to budgeting and citizen’s guide to budgeting and these are just some of the many outputs achieved through the project,” he said.

Churu said the project has focused on funding issues towards improving financial management systems in five participating local authorities—Mangwe, Mwenezi, Zibagwe rural district councils, Lupane Local Board and Redcliff municipality.

“Government appreciates the complementary efforts from cooperating partners. Such partnerships are important in the realization of broad best socio-economic development as it is part of the vision 2030 and the targets in the national development strategy 1,” he said.

The project was funded by the European delegation in Zimbabwe and implemented by the Dutch association of municipalities. The municipal development partnership and the two local authorities associations Urban Council Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) and Association of Rural District Council of Zimbabwe (ARDCZ) also supported the project.

Isaac Matsilele, ARDCZ chief executive officer said local authorities are having their budgets approved on time through the LACEP.

“…Local authorities have benefited in the following areas, partition of budget formulation resulting in improved budget processes, fast approval budgets and improved revenue collection. I am sure those from the Ministry of local government, especially the financial advisory section, can testify that more and more local authorities are having their budgets approved on time,” Matsilele said.

“So I think this is a landmark contribution by LACEP 2 to our improvement in the budget formulation by local authorities. Production of local authorities accounting to manual which will provide public finance management, transparency and accountability systems and we are very happy that this is being done in all our local authorities.”