MARTHA MAMOMBE
The Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) concept could play a critical role in helping Zimbabwe’s ailing local authorities extricate themselves from teething problems including poor service delivery, the president of the Urban Councils of Zimbabwe (UCZ) has said.
Local authorities are battling deplorable road networks, water crisis, inadequate funding from fiscus and dark streets with lighting dotted so sparingly, among other challenges.
UCAZ president and Gweru Mayor, Josiah Makombe said with little options available, the local authorities should turn to PPPs, which are a cooperative arrangement between two or more public and private sectors, and put the devolution concept to meaningful work.
“PPPs are the way to go. Local authorities have no resources because our economy is largely informal,” Makombe said after receiving the Outstanding Leadership Award at an awards ceremony organised by the Zimbabwe CEO’s Network supported by an organisation called Amplified, which was held in the capital.
Makombe said if PPPs were to be ventured into, the colossal task of bringing urban centres back on their feet in impressive ways; domestic and foreign investors would start to pay attention.
He said corruption tends to rob public institutions of the integrity needed to inspire confidence that there is a strategy, plan of action and accountability tools where public good is concerned.
“We can only do better if we partner with the private sector so there could be an improvement in service delivery and also economic transformation,” Makombe said.
The award winning mayor of Gweru, termed the progressive Mayor for his liberal approach, was the first mayor to call for an investigation into the underhand goings on at his council. An audit report cleared him of any wrongdoing, paving the way for him to steer the ship free from the weight and burdens of previous administrations.
He said the award was a confirmation that “we are doing the best that we can on governance in Gweru”.
“It is not a personal award but a reflection of collective effort where councillors, management and residents have been supportive in making sure we improve service delivery.” the bullish Mayor said.
