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Framework to guide citizens’ participation in local government issues on the cards

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THE Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) is working with local authorities and several government ministers to develop a home-grown national citizen’s participation framework aimed at boosting efficiency on how councils are administered.

THE Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) is working with local authorities and several government ministers to develop a home-grown national citizen’s participation framework aimed at boosting efficiency on how councils are administered.

BY OBEY MANAYITI

In an interview on the sidelines of a citizen participation workshop, CLGF project manager, Leopold Bhoroma said there was need to have a home-grown citizens’ participation framework that will guide rural and urban local authorities.

“This is a national workshop that brings various stakeholders to discuss approaches, means and mechanisms of enhancing citizen’s, participation in local government. Citizens’ participation is now at the core of local government,” he said.

“Local authorities have been facing a lot of challenges of late and the communication and their relationship with residents has deteriorated.

“What we wanted is to bring in all relevant stakeholders and local authorities and hear their experiences and hear some lessons they have learnt from citizens participation and then out of that we will work towards developing a national citizen participation framework that will guide all local authorities on how to engage their local authorities systematically and methodically.”

Using practical examples, the framework will seek to address issues that face local authorities on a day-to-day basis.

Local authorities, provincial and district administrators, and several government ministries are expected to participate in the formulation of the framework.

In his official opening remarks, Rural Development, Promotion and Preservation of National Culture and Heritage minister Abednico Ncube said citizens’ participation was integral and a Constitutional obligation in running local authorities.

“The basis of local government is to take governance closer to the people,” he said.

“In that respect, local governments can no longer afford to ignore the voice of the same people. It has become imperative that citizens are accorded a central role in the running of their local authorities through meaningful engagement, consultation and participation in the affairs of councils.”