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Herald Reporter
GOVERNMENT will next week convene a three-day national induction and training programme for councillors to equip them with requisite skills needed in running council affairs, a senior official has said. This follows the successful election of mayors and their deputies on Monday.In an interview yesterday, Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, permanent secretary Mr Killian Mupingo said the induction and training would be held in Harare to capacitate the new councillors and provide them with a platform to familiarise themselves with local authorities operations.

“We will hold this induction and training programme for all local authorities countrywide and we will be discussing and sharing with them on their mandate,” said Mr Mupingo.

“The issues include service delivery, functions and configuration of council, their interaction with the communities as well as the relation between council and the parent ministry and central Government.”

The intensive training will entail education on the role of committees, budgets and finance in local authorities, among other key issues, he said. Mr Mupingo said the training has other phases to reinforce the introductory training.

He said Government introduced this national induction and training after it realised that it was important to ensure councillors were fully aware of their mandate before assuming office.