Abstract

PERCEPTIONS OF RESIDENTS OF BEING CONSULTED IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT ISSUES: A CASE OF BINDURA, ZIMBABWE

Chigunwe Taurai, Kudenga Mugove

Volume: 6 Issue: 4 2016

Abstract:

This is part of a broad research that sought to find out the participation of residents of local authorities in local government issues. This paper looks at the perception of residents of being consulted in local government issues. The study was carried out against a background of a perception that during the last decade service delivery by local authorities in Zimbabwe has declined drastically. Although many factors could be attributed to this decline, it can be argued that people’s participation in the local governance processes has also reduced drastically resulting in misplaced priorities by the local authorities. The study adopted both qualitative and quantitative approaches focusing on Bindura Municipality as the study location, to investigate the perceptions of residents of being consulted in local governance issues. The study used quota sampling method where research participants were drawn from high, middle and low density suburbs. Fifteen participants were drawn from each type of the suburbs in Bindura. The study sample consisted of Bindura residents, counselors and residents associations representatives. The research used questionnaires as research instruments. The study found out that the residents were only consulted when there was going to be a council budget which was a statutory requirement for budgets to be approved by central government. The residents were never consulted on matters of service delivery, formulating bylaws and there was rarely feedback on previous meetings. The study recommends that the counselors always organize feedback meetings on issues that will have been discussed at meetings, residents be consulted in the formulation of by-laws and residents take an active part in issues of service delivery.

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