By Correspondent
One of former Local Government Minister July Moyo’s acts before he was reshuffled was to appoint the Local Government Board (LGB) in 2021.
The LGB is led by Steven Chakaipa.
Chakaipa has previously worked as provincial administrator for Midlands province and as town clerk for the Redcliff Municipality.
He is also a former deputy secretary for Local Government Administration in the Ministry of Local Government.
Chakaipa is also part of the current Harare Commission of Inquiry.
It’s a resume that smells heavily of strong connections to the political powers in the country.
Other board members include Professor Campbell Temba Kombe, Mr Maxwell Kaitano, councillor Patricia Mwale, Ms Marjorie Mandaringa, Engineer Tatenda Mawokomatanda, Mr Hamandishe Chinyengetere.
Dadirai Dodo is the board Secretary.
LGB Roles
The main responsibility for the LGB is the selection of the councils’ senior management countrywide.
The functions of the board are indicated in Section 123 (1) of the Urban Councils Act.
They include to provide guidance for the general organisation and control of employees in the service of councils.
It also ensures the general well-being, good administration and the maintenance of high rate of efficiency of council staff.
Other functions are to facilitate and finalise the process of appointment and discharge of senior officials in councils.
To make models of condition of services for council employees and to make model regulations stipulating the qualifications and appointment procedures for senior officials in councils.
However, in a partisan and toxic environment which the country has the LGB has come to have stronger significance.
It can be a weapon to corral and direct the “right” personnel into specific offices.
It’s no wonder that the Town Clerk for Bulawayo Christopher Dube is a Rtd Major.
Meanwhile in Harare Matthew Marara, current Director of Housing is also a Rtd Major.
In the case where the wrong people may get posts the LGB has been used to block the process.
The Chamber Secretary Conundrum
In 2024 the LGB refused to endorse interviews conducted by Harare Council for the vacant Chamber Secretary’s post.
Public interviews for the post were held in March, with five candidates.
They were Acting Chamber Secretary Mr Warren Chiwawa, Ms Charity Maunga, Ms Alice Zeure, Mr Ernest Mushava and Ms Angeline Mudada.
Following the preliminary interviews, Chiwawa, Maunga and Mushava made it to the top three.
They were due to undergo the final selection process.
However, the LGB, stopped the processes, saying it was concerned by the composition of the panel that conducted the interviews.
Mayor Mafume said the LGB’s move was “surprising” as the board had previously approved the same interview processes that Harare had undertaken to recruit other senior executives.
The same panel had been used for the post of the Water director, and they (LGB) confirmed the water director.
It was also used to interview and select the Town Clerk, and he was confirmed.
Opposition Complaints
Opposition politicians have not been lost on the weaponisation of this structure.
Sesel Zvidzai, former MDC Alliance shadow Minster for Local Government, termed the LGB unconstitutional.
“(It) is an unconstitutional structure whose existence serves no purpose except to enable the central government to interfere with the administrative matters in councils.
“It must be abolished.
“In terms of the constitution, local authorities must enjoy political, fiscal and administrative autonomy so that citizens can enjoy prime service delivery.
“This is the essence of devolution.”
However, central Government doesn’t appear fazed and isn’t ready to discard such an effective weapon.
