Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe

15/11/2019

National Policy Dialogue Day 3 Afternoon

78th Annual Conference & Logic2019
Urban Local Authorities : Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030
National Policy Dialogue Day 3

15/11/2019

National Policy Dialogue Day 3 Afternoon session

78th Annual Conference & Logic2019
Urban Local Authorities : Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030
National Policy Dialogue Day 3

15/11/2019

National Policy Dialogue Day 3

78th Annual Conference & Logic2019
Urban Local Authorities : Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030
National Policy Dialogue Day 3

15/11/2019

78th Annual Conference & Logic2019
Urban Local Authorities : Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030
National Policy Dialogue Day 3

14/11/2019

78th Annual Conference & Logic2019 Urban Local Authorities : Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030 Local Government Investment Conference Day 2 Afternoon

78th Annual Conference & Logic2019
Urban Local Authorities : Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030
Local Government Investment Conference Day 2 Afternoon

14/11/2019

Local Government Investment Conference Day 2 Session 2

78th Annual Conference & Logic2019
Urban Local Authorities : Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030
Local Government Investment Conference Day 2 Session 2

14/11/2019

Local Government Investment Conferencing Day

78th Annual Conference & Logic2019 Urban Local Authorities : Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030

13/11/2019

Session 3 Day 1

Urban Local Authorities : Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030

13/11/2019

78Annual Conference: Urban Authorities: Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030

13/11/2019

Urban Local Authorities :Embracing Devolution towards Attaining Vision 2030

24/09/2019

new.unhabitat.org

The new climate reality: Protecting African cities from disaster

The catastrophic destruction caused by Cyclone Idai in March this year impacted three countries, another example of a natural hazard that led to disaster in the region. In the aftermath of these climate-related events, thousands are left injured and without shelter. Communities are displaced with limited or no access to food, clean water and medicine. The deepest impacts felt by those most vulnerable.

Many cities in the region have low adaptive capacities, making them potential hotspots. To help these cities, UN-Habitat and the Technical Centre for Disaster Risk Management, Sustainability and Urban Resilience (DiMSUR), developed the City Resilience Action Planning, or CityRAP, tool to facilitate resilience planning at the city level.

UN-Habitat is working to bring CityRAP to as many cities as possible. In 2019 CityRAP is being implemented in Ethiopia (Arada, Dire Dawa and Adama), Malawi (Lilongwe), Mozambique (Dondo), South Africa (TBD), Union of Comoros (Fomboni), Zambia (Lusaka and Chipata) and Zimbabwe (Mutare).
For More, please click the link below.
https://new.unhabitat.org/the-new-climate-reality-protecting-african-cities-from-disaster?fbclid=IwAR1Il0IfFmGMvqg4TtNC2JrOBXLEqe5SMf_wiF0BVIHS3TjBDC8w5awUSUU

20/09/2019

Connective Cities ::  Details

https://www.connective-cities.net/en/details/veranstaltung/improving-public-service-delivery-at-local-level-solutions-for-participatory-and-accountable-manag/

10/09/2019

Connective Cities dialogue event - 20 - 22 August 2019, Harare

This was the central questions of a regional dialogue event by Connective Cities currently taking place in Harare, Zimbabwe. Urban practitioners from several countries in the region and from Germany exchange on solutions for participatory and accountable management of public services in sectors such as water provision, solid waste management and public transport. Here some impressions.

21/08/2019

Connective Cities Dialogue Regional Event under way in Harare. Being held under the theme "Improving Public Service Delivery at Local Level - Solutions for Participatory and Accountable Management", the Dialogue event is a collaborative effort involving the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe and Connective Cities, a community of practice from Germany. Participants have been drawn from Kenya, Zambia, South Africa Germany, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The dialogue event involves sharing of challenges, solutions and best practices.

15/08/2019

Attending a National Consultation on the Implementation of 2018 Public Health Act at the Bronte Hotel, Harare. The workshop is reviewing the issues, opportunities and challenges in and priorities for implementing new features of the law, including the role of all sectors and stockholders and set plans for the follow up measures and coordination.

14/08/2019

Very constructive dialogue currently going on since 1600hrs between Town Clerks, Mayors and the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Hon July Moyo at the Harare International Conference Centre. Discussions around challenges that local authorities are facing regarding procurement, WASH, by-laws, revenue collection, land, supplimentary budgets. Frank discussion and solutions being proferred to mitigate the challenges.

01/08/2019

To all our stakeholders and partners. Please note that the Local Government Investment Conference (LOGIC 2019) which was scheduled for the 5th to the 7th of August 2019 has been postponed to the 7th to 9th of October 2019 at the same venue, the Harare International Conference Centre. Any inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted.

04/07/2019

UCAZ Town Clerks, Treasurers and Engineers interacting with Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Local Government at the workshop on Transitional Stabilisation Plan (TSP) Implementation at the Local Level within the Devolution policy framework.

19/06/2019

Day 2 UCAZ Strategic Plan Review workshop. Group work on capacity needs analysis of UCAZ.

19/06/2019

UCAZ Capacity Development workshop with the Presidential Committee is under way at Great Zimbabwe Hotel, Masvingo. The exercise is being supported by GIZ, UCAZ's development partner.

17/06/2019

The Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (@UcazOfficial), with support from @GIZ is reviewing its leadership training modules for Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Committee Chairpersons. A selected number of technocrats from the UCAZ Officers forums are working with a consultant to review and update the leadership and corporate governance training manuals. Chamber Secretaries, Town Planners, Town Clerks, Directors of Finance and representatives from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing have been participating in the review since the first week of June.
Training of Mayors and Committee Chairpersons is expected to commence once the modules has been finalised.

15/06/2019

Cyclone Idai: UCAZ hands over repaired road to government

The Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) recently handed over to government a 19km stretch of road linking Chimanimani and Chipinge districts which it rehabilitated after the devastating effects of Cyclone Idai. The cyclone affected the districts during the first week of March 2019. Junction Gate-Kopa road was no longer passable making it impossible for disaster relief to reach affected people. The two districts were the worst affected in the country as several homes and roads infrastructure were destroyed. More than 300 people were killed. Several are still missing.

Kopa, which is part of Chimanimani and situated at the confluence of Chipita, Rusitu and Nyahode rivers experienced something that cannot be explained in any language. One just has to visit the place and see for oneself.

Maybe just an attempt to describe the desaster; a whole suburb with an estimated 100 houses was destroyed by floods and more than 200 people swept away. There is no sign that there was such a suburb in that place. Where the suburb used be, there are now several huge boulders, some of them are more than 30 tons. Some of the survivors that I talked to said that only less than 20 people survived from that suburb.

The UCAZ President, Clr Josiah Makombe who is also the Mayor of Gweru on 11 May 2019 handed over the Junction Gate-Kopa road to the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Mr July Moyo at a ribbon cutting ceremony done at a makeshift bridge constructed by UCAZ across Rusitu River. Rusitu River forms the boundary between Chipinge and Chimanimani. The cylone-induced floods left the bridge which links the two districts, severely damaged.

The ceremony was witnessed by Chief Director responsible for urban local authorities Ms Erica Jones, Manicaland Provincial Administrator, Chipinge and Chimanimani District Administrators and other senior government officials, traditional Chiefs Ndima, Mutema, Muusha and Ngorima, mayors, council chairpersons, town clerks and secretaries from urban local authorities, and Chipinge and Chimanimani District Councils’ Chief Executive Officers, Chairpersons, councillors and hundreds of people from surrounding communities.

In his handover remarks, the UCAZ President, said that he was pleased handover of part of the Junction Gate-Kopa Road which was rehabilitated by UCAZ. He said that this followed a response to the government call for assistance in the wake of the Cyclone Idai devastation in Chipinge and Chimanimani.
“Transportation of disaster relief to survivors of this calamity were being hampered by the roads and bridges which had been destroyed by the cyclone,” said Clr Makombe adding that the opening of the road was essential to reach the survivors.

“The road, 19 km in length has been rehabilitated and is now passable complete with a temporary bridge across Rusitu River to link Chipinge and Kopa. As you can see, Honourable Minister, we can now reach Kopa. The road might not be up to the required standards but it is now passable and we are happy to hand it over to you Honourable Minister,” said the UCAZ President.

The UCAZ President informed the Minister that all the 32 urban local authorities had contributed plant and equipment as well as personnel and funding for the operation. He added that the project had demonstrated what urban local authorities could do for the country if given resources. He implored the Minister to support local authorities whenever they approached government for funds or support to acquire service delivery equipment.

“The urban local authorities would like to join the government of Zimbabwe in mourning the departed and wish the survivors a speedy recovery,” concluded the UCAZ President.
In response the Minster paid tribute to urban local authorities. “I honour you because we are gathered here on account of you,” said the Minister.

“Today you did what has not been done before, to gather the whole of Zimbabwe because in the cities there are people from all regions of Zimbabwe and they are the ones who pay rates and made this possible,” he said.

The Minister added that the handover ceremony had attracted the interest of foreign organisations. Minister Moyo had in his entourage officials from Direct Aid, a Kuwait government international development department. He said that the officials wanted to know how they could assist the affected communities.

“Today is an important day because it brings people to Chimanimani and Chipinge to see what happened here because this has never happened before. You have experienced and survived this calamity and it is an experience that has taught you something, said the Minister.
He thanked Mayors and Town Clerks adding that he would inform the State President that he had spent the day with Mayors and Town Clerks in Chimanimani and Chipinge showing love the people of the area.

30/05/2019

City of Kadoma Mayor, Alderman Nyamukondiwa address the peer review team and stakeholders at the start of the #2019SLB Peer review.

City of Kadoma Mayor, Alderman Nyamukondiwa address the peer review team and stakeholders at the start of the #2019SLB Peer review.

30/05/2019

The last round of the this year's Service Level Benchmarking (SLB) Peer Reviews is taking place this week The local authorities being reviewed are Kadoma, Karoi and Kariba. I am in Kariba. The review started yesterday with a tour of the water supply, sewage and solid waste management and roads infrastructure. The review team is being chaired by the Town Clerk of Mutare Mr Joshua Maligwa. Discription of the pictures is done per individual picture.

09/05/2019

Government moves to curb leakages at Zinara

The Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe still has a strong case against taking away vehicle licensing from local authorities. The bigger cities really benefited from the licensing as they used the 10% administration fee to maintain roads. The roads are now in a deplorable state due to the government decision to take away this vital source of revenue for roads maintenance, repair and maintenance.

Bulawayo's most popular daily newspaper

26/04/2019

UCAZ clears Junction Gate-Kopa Road to enable disaster relief to reach Cyclone Idai Survivors at Kopa

UCAZ has completed clearing of 19km of the Junction Gate - Kopa road, parts of which had been destroyed by #CycloneIdai which claimed the lives of more than 300 people with hundreds missing, made thousands homeless and destroyed roads infrastructure in Chipinge and Chimanimani.

On Independence Day, 18 April 2019, Dr George Makunde and Mr Shangwa Mavesera, the Chairperson and Secretary respectively of the UCAZ Town Clerks Forum and UCAZ Communications Officer Chris Musekiwa visited the UCAZ team of Engineers, technicians and operators/drivers that is working on the Junction Gate -Kopa road.

The aim of the visit was to assess progress on the road works and plan for the handover ceremony of the road.

The first port of call was the the makeshift camp near Tanganda Tea Estate where the 28-strong team is based with equipment comprising two bulldozers, 10 tipper trucks, two graders, one water browser, three tractors, one TLB and one Front-end Loader. The team was in high spirits. The operators moved to Chipinge on 23 March 2019 and have been working on weekends. According to the Chairperson of the group of operators Oliver Manhivi, a tipper driver from the City of Bulawayo, the his team was highly motivated and members working hard to ensure that Cyclone Idai survivors received the required assistance.

The equipment and operators were provided by UCAZ members after a government call for assistance in the wake of #CycloneIdai destruction of roads infrastructure which hindered transportation of disaster relief to survivors in Ngangu, Kopa and other affected areas in Chimanimani and Chipinge impossible.

The UCAZ trio traveled the 19km from Chipinge to Kopa to assess progress of the rehabilitation of the road. They were accompanied by the Project Manager, Eng Paul Mulauzi, Town Engineer for Chipinge Town Council (CTC), Mr Oscar Chirombo, the project Supervisor and Engineering Technician for CTC, and Eng Maxwell Kerith Assistant Project Manager and Town Engineer for the City of Mutare.

The team has cleared the road of landslides and fallen trees, done rock back filling, repaired culverts and graveling and opened clogged side drains.

There are a few touch ups that still need to be done like reworking of spongy sections of the road and graveling and forming small section of about 3km to reach Kopa.

The handover ceremony is likely to be officiated by the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

Disaster relief will now be able to be transported to Kopa through Chipinge using the opened road. Mr Peter Mutisi, Chairperson of the of the Kopa survivors who lost his wife who was swept away by floods said survivors had no shelter, food and clothing and were living in the villages were they had taken refuge. The other problem, he said was identity documents and certificates which were also swept away.

Kopa is at the confluence of Nyahode, Tanganda and Rusitu rivers. A section of the Kopa business centre with about 100 houses and shops was swept away with an estimated 200 people who are missing. The place is now covered by huge rocks, some weighing approximately 30 tons or more.

25/03/2019

Urban local authorities provide road equipment after Cyclone IDAI destruction.

Urban local authorities on Friday provided road infrastructure equipment to augment government efforts to rehabilitate road infrastructure in Chipinge and Chimanimani districts of Manicaland which were hardest hit by Cyclone IDAI last week. More than 200 people died, hundreds are missing and thousands have been left homeless and roads were destroyed.

Below is text of a media briefing by the UCAZ President Clr Josiah Makombe, Mayor of Bulawayo on 22 March 2019 at the Town House, City of Harare on urban local authorities' contribution towards post-Cyclone IDAI road infrastructure reconstruction efforts:

Ladies and gentlemen, I greet you all with a heavy heart. Zimbabwe is in a state of shock and mourning after the calamity brought about by Cyclone IDAI which killed more than hundred people, maimed hundreds and left thousands homeless in Chimanimani and Chipinge districts of Manicaland Province. Most bodies were washed away by floods and have not yet been accounted for. Government has declared a national disaster and efforts are being made to assist those affected.
On behalf of the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) and, indeed, on my own behalf, I wish to extend my deep sympathies and heartfelt condolences to those who have lost loved ones. We want to let you know that our hearts and minds are with you at this very difficult time. We also wish all those injured a speedy recovery.
To the thousands who have been left homeless, we commiserate with them and we know that efforts are being made to assist them. As urban local authorities we are aware that efforts to restore damaged road infrastructure is underway to enable relief to reach the affected. However, the equipment on the ground is inadequate. Government has called upon urban local authorities to contribute plant and equipment. We have heeded the call and some local authorities have made available bulldozers, front-end loaders and tipper trucks which we are handing over to government through our parent ministry. UCAZ remains committed to supporting government in mitigating the effects of the destruction of infrastructure by Cyclone IDAI.
Ladies and gentlemen, we have people who have illegally settled themselves in wetlands and along streams in most urban areas, putting themselves in harm’s way. In the event of heavy rains and flooding such as what was experienced in Chimanimani and Chipinge, there is a high possibility of loss of life and destruction of property. We therefore call upon government to relocate these people to suitable land.
The effects of climate change are now upon us. This catastrophe caught everyone unaware. And its magnitude and destruction of both life and property is unprecedented. It is unfortunate that we had to learn the hard way. Weather experts are predicting frequent occurrence of such cyclones in our Southern African region. You will agree with me that the country was ill-prepared for this calamity and this has revealed the fact that our emergency response mechanisms are not adequately resourced. We also call upon government to ensure that the Civil Protection Unit is adequately resourced.
It is high time Zimbabwe adopts the concept of resilient cities/communities. Resilient cities are cities that have the ability to absorb, recover and prepare for future shocks (economic, environmental, social & institutional). Resilient cities/communities promote sustainable development, well-being and inclusive growth. It is through this concept that, after the horrific experience of the past week, we need to rethink our rural and urban planning.
It is now my singular honour, to hand over plant and equipment from the following local authorities:

City of Harare; 3 Tipper trucks
City of Mutare; Bulldozer, Tipper Truck
Rusape Town Council; Tipper Truck
City of Masvingo; Front-end Loader
City of Bulawayo; 2 Tipper trucks
Chinhoyi Municipality; Bulldozer, Tipper Truck
City of Gweru; Water Bowser, Pneumatic Road Roller
City of Kwekwe; Tipper Truck
Chipinge Town Council;Tipper Truck, Front-end Loader