Devolution has not been fully explained. My own thinking for a very long time has been that governors should be elected, like mayors. That would force them to be accountable to the local electorate not just a central leader.
Governors should also be given budgets to work with. We already have a system with such things as provincial roads and provincial hospitals. These could be directly run by provincial administrations under elected governors. Zimbabwe's cities already have such systems in place with Harare running Wilkins and Beatrice Rd hospitals.
The taxation model should also be tweaked to ensure that a portion of taxes collected by ZIMRA goes to the relevant local authority. The element of local taxation already exists through such things as land levy for titled land, and rates for urban properties. This has not been well administered or even fully understood by the government.
What we must also understand is that our problems are not just a result of the structure of our government. I think 90% of our problems are due to lack of diligence, dedication and effort to the national cause by our political leaders. Most of them spent more than half their time wheeling and dealing to enrich themselves, not paying attention to the job they claim to have volunteered for.
In a democracy leadership is a voluntary endeavour and anybody partaking it must know that there is an element of self sacrifice. Most of our leaders only look for the element of self-enrichment and no further. Many of the people who are participating in politics today, would not bother if the self-enrichment opportunity was removed.
As long as that selfish culture remains, it does not matter how many units we devolve Zimbabwe into. The majority of the people will still suffer. Even family units will suffer if the father selfishly indulges in beer and prostitutes while not buying food for his family.
Don't you witness some men buying heaps upon heaps of meat at gochi gochi places while their families at home are scrounging around for mufushwa, macimbi and harurwa (dried vegetables, mopani worms and edible bugs).
Responsible behaviour in our leadership is a necessity. Self sacrifice is also a necessity. But what do we witness today. Our leaders would not want to miss a single trip to Malaysia (kunodya nyika rutivi [destroying the countryside]) or Seychelles (kunodya gungwa rutivi [destroying the seas]). Yet some of the money could be used to buy medicines in clinics.
Our leaders will not leave any stone unturned to send their often dull children to very, very expensive universities in places like Australia, Hong Kong, Canada and so on. They also give them enough money to live extra-ordinarily lavish lifestyles.
Yet the teachers and lecturers who are supposed to teach our very brilliant children locally are paid peanuts. Our brilliant children are forced to read by paraffin lamp and candle-light while the often dull children of top politicians are frolicking amid multi-coloured disco lights, wasting money on clubbing.
Notice that I haven't mentioned a single person by name in this comment. Anyone who jumps up and decides to appoint themselves the target of these comments should just think of the saying 'Anyumwa bere nderake'. The one who is suspicious of the presence of a hyena must be the owner.
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