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Residents Associations in Zimbabwe continue to play a crucial role as critical partners and actors in the devolution implementation process in the country.
The associations remain focused to demanding accountability and participatory spaces as well as enhancing citizen participation and promote good local governance.
Thriving to ensure citizen participation in resource allocation and management in line with principles of devolution among other thematic areas, Residents Associations from across the country held a Summit in Gweru early this October.
The discussion deliberated ways through which they can strengthen citizen agency in terms of participation on electoral and local governance issues.
“The meeting noted with concern the continued shrinking of the democratic space in Zimbabwe.
“The meeting acknowledged the need to create a coalition of Residents Associations whose tasks will include voter mobilization and civic education as well as to push for electoral reforms (around local governance issues),” the Summit minutes revealed.
The participants agreed that the formed coalition will include different stakeholders including the private sector.
The meeting also noted the need to engage government with regards the implementation of the devolution and decentralization policy with a view of ensuring that concerns/inputs from Residents Associations are taken on board.
The importance of voter education as a way of capacitating citizens to demand accountability from duty bearers was also discussed at the meeting.
“The voter education campaign will target youths, women and people living with disabilities as well as first time voters ahead of the 2023 elections,” they highlighted.
The meeting acknowledged the need to strengthen the organizational capacity of Residents Associations in responding to local governance and electoral issues.
The meeting also acknowledged the need to push for a diaspora vote in the upcoming 2023 elections
During the meeting, the associations representatives identified a plethora of thematic areas which need to be focused on.
Electoral reforms linked to issues of local governance, voter registration including easy access to national documentation, role of citizens in the recall process of elected councilors and legitimization of the diaspora vote were among the identified thematic areas.
The Residents Associations also noted that it was imperative to strengthen the role of traditional leaders in local governance issues, restoration of Executive Mayors, Citizen participation in resource allocation and management in line with principles of devolution.
“Land allocations, management and housing, roads and infrastructure development, waste Management, Primary Health Care, 50/50 representation of women in local governance and education are also identified as key areas that need to be addressed.”
Among other associations, the meeting was attended by Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association, Combined Harare Residents Association, Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association, Chitungwiza and Manyame, Rural Residents Association, Combined Mvurwi Residents and Ratepayers Association, Epworth Residents ,Development Association, Local Governance Trust and Marondera Residents Open Forum.