In a significant stride towards enhancing local governance, Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA), in partnership with Midlands State University’s Centre for Public Policy and Devolution (MSU-CPPD), launched a six-week capacity-building training programme for Gweru City councillors that witnessed 19 councillors graduate.
This initiative, funded by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Zimbabwe Country Office, aimed to equip councillors with essential skills in leadership, governance, and service delivery.
The comprehensive curriculum covered core modules such as local government systems and administration, legislative frameworks, leadership and ethics, policy formulation and budgeting, community engagement, and gender mainstreaming.
By addressing these critical areas, the programme sought to enhance decision-making processes and improve service delivery within the city.
Fadzai Kanyai, GRRA’s Programmes and Gender Focal Officer, emphasized the programme’s objective:
“The course was an initiative to enhance leadership skills of our duty bearers on the issues to do with local governance processes, so that they will be able to deliver and engage with residents with much expertise.”
City of Gweru Deputy Mayor, Nyaradzo Madzimura, highlighted the programme’s impact on addressing gender stereotypes:
“Recently before this programme we faced gender stereotypes scenarios within some of our colleagues and during work coordination; however, with the academic lectures we were given, this issue was dealt with to everyone’s advantage.”
Dr. Virginia Makanza of MSU underscored the alignment of this initiative with Education 5.0, which emphasizes research and innovation at the community level:
“This programme aligns with Education 5.0, which goes beyond just teaching, as it requires research and innovation at the community level. Hence, this training showcased how universities are keen to improve livelihoods within the community and assist in development plans within the city.”
Gweru District Development Coordinator, Tarisai Mudadigwa, commended GRRA’s efforts, stating that such initiatives complement government endeavours in training councillors to enhance service delivery in the city.
This collaborative effort marks a pivotal step towards fostering effective leadership and responsive governance in Gweru, ultimately benefiting the city’s residents through improved services and community engagement.
