Women and youth urged to participate in governance processes
Innocent Mgutshini
MATOBO- Matobo women and youth have been encouraged to desist from shunning decision making processes where decisions that affect them are made. The call was made during a routine pre-budget training for Matobo District that was organised and conducted virtually by Matobo Youth Development Initiative (MYDI) in partnership with Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) last week.
The meeting was designed to train Matobo residents to strengthen their participation in local governance and community involvement so that they can make meaningful contributions towards local and national budget policies.
While addressing the women and youths in attendance, Constentine Mpofu the programme facilitator explained the importance of the training.
“We have decided to conduct this seminar in order to promote civil interest and participation in local and national governance by empowering community members to spearhead development by utilising our local resources. Concurrently, we want to involve the community in generating self-sustaining livelihood options and to promote accountability in local and national public finance and budgeting,” said Mpofu.
Mpofu noted the need for community members to be knowledgeable on the modus operandi of the local Council and also underscored the importance of youth participation in local budget making processes as well as having insights on tax collection.
“We are obliged to monitor expenditure, but people should be part of the planning and implementation of budgets in order to promote accountability and transparency. The youth and women must be aware of all the projects running within the District,” he said.
Mpofu took the participants through their paces on the processes involved in the budget and explained that one of the core values of the constitution is that we must know what a budget is.
“Local residents should be part of the budget process from the onset so that we set priorities in our local Council. Along with our partners, we intend to conscientise citizens and encourage them to work with the council so that there’s a collective and holistic approach in issues of development,” He said.
Thalusang Ndlovu who took part in the training, hailed MYDI and VISET for providing the much needed training. She said when communities are empowered to engage authorities, they set the tone for development.
“As a young woman, I believe in a pyramidal approach, where the grassroots are the ones who come up with solutions and engage with the duty bearers in order to have effective developments. I’m glad that the two organisations have given us a platform to have an understanding on how to have constructive engagements with the local authority.”
Ndlovu expressed her optimism and hope that MYDI will cast its net wider to train the most marginalised communities such as Wards 2, 5 and 6 in Matobo.
Another participant, Siphethile Moyo said budgets must be pro-women and applauded the 2015 Council resolution to have a clinic in every ward.
“Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the developments taking place in various wards where the building of clinics is being prioritised. Women are walking long distances in order to access health services. The Council needs to work with all stakeholders so that everyone has an input in all development projects that are going to affect them,” said an assertive Moyo.
VISET Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Mr Edward Kapodogo, in submissions during the meeting emphasised the need for women and youth to have unfettered access to decision making structures.
“Women and youth contribute uniquely to the development and appropriate management of services provided by both local and central governments. They should therefore be part of the local democratic system and have full access to the decision making structures,” opined Kapodogo.
