The politics and provision of service delivery in any local authority cannot be understood without understanding the dynamics of political infighting and resultant implications for municipal service delivery.  

More often than not, internal fights within organizations tends to affect not only the day to day running of municipalities and councils but also the citizens as well.

Reflecting on recent trends and developments in most councils points out that internal fights for senior positions within the same organizations have resulted in serious sabotages compromising on service delivery. And as such, most challenges by local authorities mirror the larger political crises within the organizations.

There is rampant infighting between senior management and councilors in most local authorities, and ironically citizens suffer in the process. The battles for supremacy do not only pose temporary crises like water shortages, uncollected garbage, or dilapidated infrastructure, it goes beyond that. There is severe sabotage which if not controlled will turn town and cities into squatter camps as a large percentage of the local communities will not receive rudimentary services and for most residents, the most basic of service delivery; getting a water supply or refuse collected that piles up on the streets are a distant dream, and this is a matter of concern and has contributed to the dysfunctionality of local authorities.

The key question tends to focus on political will by the Chief Executive Officers, who to a large extent drives the administration and are an integral part of local authorities. However, if councils and municipalities are at best poorly managed, often by people who are accountable to their political principals, personal vendettas rather than the core mandates of the councils and municipalities as well as residents who are at the receiving end of poor service delivery.

Regards 

Coordinator: Prosper Tiringindi 

Masvingo Residents Trust (MRT)

Secretary-General: Masvingo Residents Forum (MRF)