Section 265: General principles of provincial and local government
Constitution of Zimbabwe
(1) Provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities must, within their spheres—
(a) ensure good governance by being effective, transparent, accountable and institutionally
coherent;
(b) assume only those functions conferred on them by this Constitution or an Act of
Parliament;
(c) exercise their functions in a manner that does not encroach on the geographical,
functional or institutional integrity of another tier of government;
(d) co-operate with one another, in particular by—
(i) informing one another of, and consulting one another on, matters of common
interest;
(ii) harmonising and co-ordinating their activities;
(e) preserve the peace, national unity and indivisibility of Zimbabwe;
(f) secure the public welfare; and
(g) ensure the fair and equitable representation of people within their areas of jurisdiction.
(2) All members of local authorities must be elected by registered voters within the areas for which the local authorities are established.
(3) An Act of Parliament must provide appropriate mechanisms and procedures to facilitate co-ordination between central government, provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities.
This section establishes the framework for decentralized governance in Zimbabwe, emphasizing three key aspects:
- Accountability with limitations: While councils and local authorities must operate transparently, they can only exercise powers specifically granted to them.
- Cooperative governance: Different levels of government must work together without overstepping boundaries, maintaining Zimbabwe's unity while addressing local needs.
- Democratic representation: Local authorities must be democratically elected, ensuring citizens have direct input in local governance while Parliament creates mechanisms for coordination between government levels.