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Blessings Chidakwa and Fortunate Gora
Voters have been urged to consider high professionalism profiles when voting for ideal councillors to ensure improved service delivery systems throughout Zimbabwe.

Addressing top civil servants from Mashonaland West during a closed door meeting recently, Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Webster Shamu urged voters to vote qualitatively, while considering competency in choosing councillors.

While the media was barred from the meeting, which was also attended by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo, sources said Minister Shamu argued that choosing the right people would improve service delivery in the communities. The meeting was addressed by district administrators, the provincial administrator and rural district chief executive officers.

“When voting for councillors do not just vote because someone is good at chanting a party slogan,” Cde Shamu was quoted as saying. “We need people who are qualitative, competent and responsible. Even to you treasurers, you should be highly qualitative so that you execute your duties well.” Minister Moyo shared similar sentiments, saying the only way to improve service delivery was through recruiting competent people.

“We want people who mean business and are competent in all the sectors of the economy. Minister Moyo said councils were allowed to withdraw their land from private developers who would have failed to develop on a specified time frame. If you fail to develop the area you are occupying, then you will have no option than to vacate the land and we repossess it,” he said. Minister Moyo encouraged councils to do proper planning.

He said Government was aware that some local authorities did not have the capacity to develop their land, hence the need to work with property developers. Minister Moyo said planning remained councils’ responsibility as they owned the land.