The government has been urged to develop legislation to govern the implementation of devolution. The Centre for Development in Zimbabwe (CCDZ) and the Harare Residents Trust (HRT) presented a joint paper to the Ministry of Public Works and National Housing. The paper reads
Since the adoption of the new Constitution in 2013, the government has not yet crafted legislation to devolve power to provincial and metropolitan councils. Rather there have been reversals and an attempt to completely do away with Provincial and Metropolitan Councils to scuttle devolution.
… It is our expectation that the Portfolio Committee will convene public hearings at provincial and district level to allow members of the public to comment and give input into the Provincial and Metropolitan Councils bill.
The crafting of the Provincial and Metropolitan Councils bill and its adoption by parliament and presidential assent must be done expeditiously no later than 31st of January 2019, to allow elected provincial and Metro Councillors to take the oath of office by 1st March 2019.
…. The establishment of Provincial and Metropolitan Councils (PMCs) as spelt out in Chapter 14 of the Constitution is long overdue. It is against this background that CCDZ and HRT continue to engage government and parliament on the need for comprehensive local government reforms including crafting legislation to allow devolution of power to Provincial and Metropolitan Councils as opposed to the piecemeal approach of the old dispensation.