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Speaking at an all stakeholders consultative and planning workshop, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere said there was need to have councillors competent in fields such as engineering, town planning and finance to move council business forward.

“We are going to review the calibre of councillors we have in our local authorities. This ‘bamba zonke’ approach can’t continue. We can’t have someone who, just after herding cattle, stand as a councillor and win. This is not how we can run our local authorities and a country,” he said.

“We are going to look at the constitution and l am sure, we will find a way. A councillor should have either assets and is paid up. I have visited some districts after they summon me because they will be fighting over trivial matters, I cannot even speak of today.”

“As Zanu-PF political commissar, we must look at the calibre we send to council. Someone who can’t read or write is said to be a councillor and the fellow doesn’t even have a road going to his house, but wants to chair the public works committee. People with experience and capacity must come in.”

Cde Kasukuwere said this had forced his ministry to increase the allowances of mayors and councillors to nip the levels of corruption threatening service delivery.

Last year, Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni also bemoaned the majority of councillors in Harare lack essential skills, and said there was need for political parties to forward individuals with reasonable educational qualifications to ensure the smooth running of council.

As such, Minister Kasukuwere said the mess presiding over in local authorities which included flagrant disregard of city by-laws, proliferation of illegal settlements could cease if the ease of doing business is applied and normalised.

“The bureaucratic delays cost us a lot. l was talking to the town clerk of Harare and asked, how long it takes for one to buy land in Harare — seven to eight months, and I am sure this is the situation across the country. We have to cut that bureaucracy to a maximum of 30 days.

“Investors come to Zimbabwe and want to set up a company. They are tossed left, right and centre because someone can’t just make a decision. There is no correct or wrong decision. What is a wrong decision today can prove to be the correct decision in the fullest of time.”

Minister Kasukuwere also bemoaned budgets presented by local authorities, which he said were exaggerated to the point that only the salary of the town clerk and finance director were correct.

He said local authorities must present budgets which are realistic and guiding their operations.