In Gweru, a city teeming with diverse communities and evolving political and social landscapes, the gap between residents and their local representatives has long been a challenge to sustainable development. Councillors, tasked with representing thousands of residents, often struggle to grasp the full spectrum of issues within their wards. Meanwhile, residents, unsure of how to engage with their elected leaders,…
In Gweru, Zimbabwe, the spirit of unity and advocacy took center stage at a recent dialogue meeting organized by the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA). Held at the Oasis of Hope Church under the theme “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence,” the gathering provided a crucial platform for community members, local leaders, and civil society organizations to join…
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) in partnership with Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) held a pre-budget sensitization meeting at Mkoba YWCA Hall yesterday, 26 October 2024. They informed the Gweru community about the 2025 public budget consultation meeting scheduled for 26-27 October 2024 in 18 wards of the city of Gweru. Presenting the annual business plan…
GWERU Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) has issued a critical assessment of the city’s budget participation process, noting both progress and persistent challenges faced by the community. According to the GRRA’s position paper titled ‘GRRA Position: Participation in the City of Gweru’, while there has been an improvement in service delivery across various sectors, substantial gaps in citizen engagement and satisfaction…
Some Gweru residents now living fear they could lose their houses, after reports that the messenger of court last week swooped on the defaulting residents in the high-density suburbs, attaching everything from stoves to sofas. The city’s largest lobby group, Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) has also voiced out ts concern over the attachment of property of residents who…
In an effort to improve access to services for people with disabilities, the Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association, in partnership with the Gweru City Council, has launched a disability desk. Speaking at the official launch of the desk at Town House early this week, deputy mayor Edson Kurebgaseka said the development would improve access to council services by PWDs. “This…
GWERU Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) Executive Director Cornilia Selipiwe says time is ripe for the Midlands province capital to be led by a female mayor. In a statement yesterday, Selipiwe said women in leadership positions understood better service delivery-related issues. “The GRRA would like to thank all political parties in Zimbabwe for fielding women and youth candidates in the…
Gweru – Hundreds of disgruntled residents from Mkoba high density suburb in the Midlands capital Gweru on Thursday morning besieged the local council offices to protest over poor service delivery. The Administration Hall in Mkoba 6 houses the district council offices which serve residents that cannot commute to the Town House in the Central Business District. The call by the…
Poor service delivery has always been considered a legacy of poor governance and lack of youth participation in Zimbabwe. However, 41 years into our independence, many local municipalities are still battling with service delivery backlogs. These backlogs have often been attributed to, for example, dysfunctional ward development committees, corruption amongst councillors, exclusion of community members in the planning process especially…