The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE Government has allocated $195.5 billion towards devolution noting that there is a greater number of high impactful completed and ongoing developmental projects and programmes in the country’s communities in the three years that devolution funds have been disbursed.
The devolution funds are meant to be shared among the 10 provinces based on a number of factors such as poverty levels in all rural districts, quality of infrastructure and the size of the population. Presenting the 2023 national budget proposal on Thursday, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube said disbursements to lower tiers of Government were bearing positive fruits as evidenced by a greater number of high impactful completed and ongoing developmental projects and programmes in various sectors.
“The 2023 National Budget is ring fencing $195.5 billion being five percent of the anticipated revenue resources towards lower tiers of Government in support towards construction, upgrading and rehabilitation of facilities in health, transport, education, water and sanitation, as well as procurement of plant and equipment by local authorities.
“During 2022, resources amounting to $16.7 billion have so far been disbursed mainly towards acquiring of road construction and firefighting equipment, refuse collection trucks, completion of ongoing infrastructure projects in sectors such as health, education, water and sanitation and roads, among others,” said Prof Ncube.
However, the Minister bemoaned the overpricing of goods and services by contractors saying it did not spare the devolution programme, thereby affecting its smooth implementation.
“Currently, Government is in the process of developing the requisite policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks necessary to fully operationalise and entrench the implementation of the devolution agenda. This initiative will also ensure accountability and transparency in the utilisation of the fiscal grant,” he said.
Professor Mthuli Ncube
In terms of the actual allocations per province; Midlands will get the highest of $23.7bn, Mashonaland West; $22.8bn, Manicaland; $21.3bn, Masvingo; $18.7bn, Mashonaland East; $18.3bn, Mashonaland Central; $18.1bn, Harare; $17.3bn, Matabeleland North; $15.5bn, Matabeleland South; $14.6bn and Bulawayo will get $5 billion.
The finance minister further stated that local authorities were being allowed to utilise up to 10 percent of their devolution allocations for 2023 towards a property valuation exercise.
“The Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:15] and Rural District Council Act [Chapter 29:13] mandates local authorities to regularly value properties within their jurisdiction for rating purposes. Most local authorities have, however, not undertaken the valuation exercise within the stipulated 10-year period, save for a few such as Mutare City Council, due to limited resources.
Valuation of the properties and updating of the council data base is critical in ascertaining their market values to enable the collection of optimal property rates and other user charges. This will allow local authorities to collect more revenues, that can be channelled towards development of the communities within their jurisdiction,” said Prof Ncube.
Devolution is enshrined in the 2013 Constitution, but its implementation began in earnest with the coming in of the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa when growing sums were budgeted to top up the funds local authorities raise themselves to fund essential infrastructure in their areas.
According to the National Public Infrastructure Investment Programme for 2021 document crafted by the Finance and Economic Development Ministry, Government provides the framework for building all critical public infrastructure services required for the country’s socio-economic development.
