Two Hwange youths have petitioned Parliament to end what they describe as a fragmented local governance system in Hwange Central Constituency, arguing that thousands of residents in concession areas are being denied unified local authority administration.
Tinashe Raphael Matika and Nkosikhona Blessmore Sibanda submitted the petition to the Clerk of Parliament for consideration by the National Assembly and the Senate. They say they are acting on behalf of residents with the support of the Hwange Youth Empowerment Initiative.
The petitioners want the concession areas incorporated into the Hwange Local Board's jurisdiction, arguing the current arrangement contradicts Chapter 14 of the Constitution.
The petition claims the existing governance set-up excludes residents of wards 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, affecting an estimated 20,000 people. It argues that dominance by major corporations, including Hwange Colliery Company Limited, the National Railways of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority, has left residents excluded from local governance benefits.
"The dominance of the local corporates over the service delivery... has sustained a local governance system that violates the social contract by excluding the general populace within the Hwange Concession," the petition states.
The petitioners request that Parliament review the policy subjecting Hwange Urban to dual administration and investigate the governance framework with a view to recommending reforms. They also ask for a timeline on incorporating the concession areas into the Hwange Local Board's jurisdiction as prescribed by Section 274 of the Constitution.
"The petitioners beseech the Parliament of Zimbabwe to exercise its constitutional mandate to give effect to the letter and spirit of Section 274 of Chapter 14 of the Constitution," they state.
The petition will now be processed following Parliament's public petition procedures.
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