Mutare residents wary of harmonised elections

A survey has revealed that Mutare residents recommend deharmonisation of poles. The current situation distorts elections and makes them more about political party affiliation than service delivery.

The Local Government Election Survey was conducted by the United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust, a residents' body that advocates for good governance, accountable and transparent municipal services.

Dr Davison Muchadenyika asserted that the survey intended to find out the perceptions of eligible voters on the forthcoming 30 July elections, with a particular focus on local authority elections. Through the research it was realized that local authorities provide critical services such as water, sanitation, health, transport and education.

Another major highlight was the realization that local government elections are overshadowed by presidential elections, leading to voting on the basis of political affiliation rather than competence. The survey revealed that citizens do not really appreciate the fact that elections are an opportunity to change the course of service delivery as they do not fully understand the that role councilors play in city management and service provision, added Dr Muchadenyika.

As part of the survey recommendations, Dr Muchadenyika urged civil society organizations to be major stakeholders within the development agenda and ensure that citizens realize the value of their vote. There is need to raise awareness on the importance of local government elections to the electorate while fully expressing the nexus that exists between councilors and service delivery. Another potential area of collaboration was through dissemination of candidates' profiles and their credentials and also organizing community assessment meetings to evaluate aspiring councilors.

Mayor Tatenda Nhemarare appreciated that the survey is inclusive and informative not only to UMMRT but to all stakeholders within the development sector. The councilor emphasized on the need for the local authority to work hand in hand with civil society organizations, because they gather crucial information that informs and influences policy formulation.

The launch presented findings of the Local Government Election survey, explained the context in which local government elections in Zimbabwe are conducted, raised awareness and presented expectations of the people towards the elections and lastly explained the process dynamics of elections.

The launch exhibited how CSO's complement each other's efforts with regards to social accountability through the engagement of stakeholders working in different thematic areas of programming. The engagement also served as a platform of dialogue where council officials explained council procedures and drew lessons for the future.

Conducting the research was a challenge due to the political climate in Zimbabwe at the time of the study. The political arena was volatile and respondents were not comfortable responding to contentious issues. However, there is optimism that in the future surveys will be more detailed in terms of perceptions of the citizens on issues to do with service delivery.