Community-duty bearer engagements key to strengthened civic participation and accountability

By Sihlobo Bulala

Bubi and Lupane District community members have expressed a strong need for ongoing community-duty bearer engagements to address knowledge gaps and enhance accountability.

This emerged during a Provincial Multistakeholder Meeting held at the 30th of June, 2025, at Inyathi Training Academy, Bubi District as part of a Zimbabwe Council of Churches’ ongoing initiative aimed at strengthening devolution processes in Lupane and Bubi districts.

The meeting brought together stakeholders from Lupane, Bubi, and the Office of the Secretary for Devolution and Provincial Affairs to track and evaluate progress against the commitments and actions agreed upon during the 2024 Provincial Multistakeholder Meeting, identifying achievements, bottlenecks, and necessary corrective measures. More so, it availed itself as a platform to co-create actionable solutions to persistent and emerging challenges in devolution implementation, ensuring shared ownership and establishing clear accountability frameworks among stakeholders.

Florence Magagula, a youth and resident from Lupane District, highlighted the importance of such platforms, citing that they’re important for seeking clarity on certain issues, including verifying developments happening in communities.

“From the issues being raised by residents, you will realize that the communication cycle is non-existent. It seems there are no feedback meetings as people are not aware of the things that are being done in their communities,” she said.

One of the major concerns highlighted during the meeting was the poor coordination between government stakeholders and the community, as evidenced by the lack of knowledge and uncertainty on certain projects that were being reported to have been conducted as a result of devolution funds. During the meeting, Matabeleland North Acting Provincial Director, Tapiwa Zivovoyi highlighted several projects which were supported by devolution funds in Lupane District, including clinics and classroom blocks.

Speaking on the lack of awareness and uncertainty of the devolution projects, Florence Magagula highlighted that besides a broken communication cycle, devolution proceedings lack transparency.

“There is no transparency and accountability when it comes to devolution funds. There are many things that are being done that you will just see as finished projects without really knowing where the funds came from. For example the sewer reticulation development that was mentioned to have been supported by devolution funds, we were told that it was donor funded. I’ve also realized that as residents, we don’t know that we have a right to go to councils to acquire any information that we need,” she said.

While the meeting highlighted several gaps that need to be addressed, some community members acknowledged that the community-duty bearer engagements have contributed to positive attitudes in civic participation and improved knowledge among community members.

Doreen Sibanda, a resident from Ward 8, Bubi District shared that the engagements have given her confidence and necessary information needed to engage with public officials, enabling her to address some challenges related to children and women.

“Since I started attending the ZCC meetings, I now have the knowledge and confidence to speak to councillors, registry, police, hospitals. Here in Bubi, I have helped several children get their IDs, some of them were no longer able to write exams, and others couldn’t participate in sports in their schools because they didn’t have documents. I also help women facing gender-based violence. Sometimes I call and speak with the husband to see if the case can be solved, if not we then go and report the cases.

“Most women now know that they and their children are not supposed to be abused. I teach them that when they’re facing a challenge, they can do this and that, or approach different people who can help. When there is something I wish to advise my councillor, I go to them and tell them my thoughts and confirm how we can go around it,” she said.

Qhubani Ndimande, a Village Development Committee (VIDCO) youth representative in Ward 15, Bubi District, shared that as a youth participating in the community dialogues, he has realized their importance.

“In village assemblies, I can now also encourage other youths to participate in sharing their opinions and appreciating that their opinions can get accepted,” he reflected.

“The interaction with stakeholders gives us a platform for us to ask them about various issues without being intimidated. They have become a safe space. For example, there is a gold rush here in Bubi and that’s where youths are participating, so now with these dialogues that are happening, we can teach youths about the responsible offices to approach in light of various issues,” he said.

The Multistakeholder engagements conducted by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches started in 2023 under the banner of Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denomination supported by Trocaire.