The success of the devolution agenda depends on sound public finance management systems at both central and local government levels, hence there is need to involve stakeholders to ensure accountability and transparency in these systems.
This came up on #IdentitiesConversations one-on-one interview hosted by Nyaradzo Mashayamombe when she spoke to representatives from ZIMCODD. Doctor Tawanda Zinyama, one of the guest, a lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe defined devolution as the de-centralisation of power while Mr Masimba Manyanya defined it as the assignment of public functions to sub-national governments.
Asked on how devolution can improves the lives of people in the country, Doc Zinyama argued that there must be greater participation of the people in decision-making.
“Provinces should be ready to run their own affairs. Residents should have sufficient confidence in the provincial council’s systems that are in place to run the province’s finances and people should enjoy the benefits of their resources. They should inform citizens of localities on what is going on as far as devolution is concerned.
“Sound public finance management systems are a pre-requisite for devolution to be a success and to be meaningful. If we rush to implement devolution without sound public finance management systems, we are creating more problems for ourselves than we have now,” he said.
Mr Manyanya also said that devolution is the best way to go in governance as far as Public Finance Management is concerned. He stressed the point that devolution is not a panacea to inequality, poverty and poor corporate governance, but rather should bring about empowerment, participation and inclusion by the governed. However, the success of devolution depends on sound PFM systems at both central and local levels.
The success of devolution in Zimbabwe lies in the ability to plan and implement, consistent with Section 301 of the National Constitution, on allocation of revenues between provincial and local tiers of government and related frameworks for public finance management, hinged on the financial accountability mechanisms and frameworks.
Manyanya lamented that “The local authorities who are in charge of these finances should be always transparent and accountable in their actions, but some local authorities are too corrupt except one of the Masvingo MDC Member of parliament I have heard of. He was so transparent and accountable, I was even amazed that those people still exist. He provided the information on how the funds were used to the last cent”.
“In contrary, Honorable Bvute from Goromonzi I don’t know if he even attends the parliament sessions because he is so quiet and no development is seen in the area. He is said to be involved in many dirty deals and as a community shall we have confidence in that MP? In this case, the issue of accountability and transparency usually suffers premature death,” he said.
Doc Zinyama advised that they should strengthen legal and institutional provisions enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in public service delivery and allocation of resources amid outright corruption and misappropriation of state funds by local authorities. PFM principles, therefore guarantee integrity in financial and non-financial reporting, control, budgeting and performance systems.
The government should ensure that the devolution process is happening but due to conflict of interest sometimes, there is need to address the issue of corruption.
“The first step therefore will be to enforce the implementation of Section 299(1) of the Constitution regarding the role of parliament, to monitor and oversee provincial and metropolitan councils as well as local authorities through the alignment of the Public Finance Management Act with the Constitution, and the promulgation of an Act of Parliament to operationalise devolution.
Without political will to implement punitive measures on errant local and central government officials, the inherent benefits associated with devolution will remain theoretical,” said Zinyama.
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