CIVIC society groups in Matabeleland have challenged government to urgently implement devolution of power as provided for in the Constitution, failing which they would form a political party to pursue the agenda.
BY Luyanduhlobo Makwati
In a statement, the organisations said Chapter 14 of the new Constitution states that power should be devolved to lower tiers of government at provincial and district levels, but government appeared reluctant to implement the provisions.
“The only solution that the people have is a political solution because surely, it has proved that this system will not prioritise devolution in the near future,” the groups said.
“Failure by the other national political parties in Parliament to stand up and demand devolution is clear testimony that pinning hopes of devolution implementation in national political parties is tantamount to expecting a ghost to impregnate a 75-year-old grandmother or putting a castrated bull in the kraal and expect your cows to breed.”
The civic groups vowed that if the government continues showing a lack of commitment, they should expect a shocker.
“If the current political parties are not willing to devolve, the people, especially of Matabeleland, need to start disabusing themselves of trusting in national politics and national political parties.”
