The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Honourable Daniel Garwe, has urged Midlands local authorities to uphold professionalism, transparency, and accountability as they execute their public service duties in line with national development goals.
Addressing over 345 councillors, chief executive officers, town secretaries, district development coordinators (DDCs) and 47 traditional leaders during a high-level engagement in Gweru yesterday, Hon. Garwe called for integrity in local governance and warned against the illegal parcelling of land and other practices that undermine sustainable development.
The Minister’s visit marked the fourth leg of his national provincial engagement tour, aimed at strengthening coordination between central Government, local authorities, and traditional leadership structures.
Hon. Garwe said the local Government sector must work as a cohesive force in advancing President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030, which seeks to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy by the end of the decade.
He said: “We must embrace a spirit of collective responsibility to address challenges such as poor service delivery, illegal land allocations, and environmental degradation. These are shared challenges, and together we must tackle them through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.”
He commended several councils for completing valuation rolls and improving administrative efficiency but expressed concern over the resurgence of land and space barons in cities and towns.
The Minister warned that such illegal activities distort urban planning and deprive communities of orderly development.
Hon. Garwe also underscored the importance of collaboration between traditional leaders and local Government structures, noting that DDCs play a critical role in harmonising development initiatives and ensuring smooth coordination of government programmes at the grassroots level.
On social challenges, the Minister issued a stern warning against drug and substance abuse, describing it as one of the gravest threats to national development and social stability.
‘‘Drug and substance abuse is destroying our youth, our families, and the moral fabric of our society. As leaders, we must raise awareness, strengthen community policing, and support rehabilitation programmes to safeguard our future generations,” he said.
Later in the day, Hon. Garwe addressed the Midlands Provincial Chiefs Assembly, reaffirming Government’s commitment to capacitating traditional leaders as
“His Excellency the President fully recognises the central role of chiefs in national development. Through devolution, government continues to ensure that every community benefits from the modernisation and industrialisation agenda under Vision 2030,” he said.
The ongoing provincial engagement programme reflects Government’s commitment to ethical leadership, inclusive governance, and accelerated rural development across all provinces.
