A COUNCILLOR in Bulawayo has called on the government to return to fiscal devolution as a way of enabling councils to raise adequate resources for road rehabilitation projects in the city.
Speaking after a feedback meeting in ward 25, Nketa, councillor Aleck Ndlovu told Southern Eye that fiscal devolution will allow local authorities more autonomy in decision-making and resource allocation for their operations.
Fiscal devolution refers to transferring financial responsibilities (revenue and expenditure) from higher levels of government to lower levels.
“Roads in the city are in a dilapidated state because the Zimbabwe National Road Administration [Zinara] is not channelling enough funds to the local authority.
“Council used to collect revenue from car licensing but now all the funds are channelled towards government entities, government agencies which distribute inadequate funds to the local authority,” he said.
Ndlovu said residents in his ward would like the government to have a re-look at the system used in the disbursements of funds to councils across Zimbabwe.
He said the residents underscored the need to practise fiscal devolution to enable local authorities to generate enough revenue to rehabilitate roads in the city.
Ndlovu accused government of spending on lavish cars, leaving little to nothing for service delivery, adding that political autonomy was needed as it was the right of a region or local authority to govern itself independently.
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