City Of Mutare | Manicaland

VISION

“To be a city of prime choice preferred by all investors residents and tourists “

MISSION

“Mutare city council is committed to the provision of quality service to all stakeholders in a transparent manner at competitive cost”

COMMENT

Mutare city council exists to provide all services to all stakeholders in an efficient and effective manner as its mission statement highlights it.

MUTARE CITY COUNCIL

Please see City Council for information on City fathers/ Councillors/ department heads etc.

OGANISATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND VALUES.

The Mutare city council is a lower tier government, whose purpose is to champion the government of Zimbabwe development agenda at local level. The primary focus is on the provision and maintenance of infrastructure and ratepayers on a cost recoverable basis. The council provide social services at an economic rate.

OBJECTIVES

To provide improved services to the people these services include health, educational facilities and recreational facilities among others.
To ensure estate development particularly the servicing of residential stands. it aims at providing adequate accommodation to all residents since accommodation is one of the basic needs for human survival
To have a sound human resource management. As an organization it aims at treating the human recourse as the most valuable asset within the organization for its effectiveness.
To promote industrial growths encompassing the informal sector. to make councils operations more focused and relevant to the needs of the residents.

CORE VALUES

Good corporate governance
Commitment
Transparency and accountability
Equal opportunities
Stakeholder participation
Efficiency and effectiveness
Social and environmental responsibility

ORGANISATIONAL GOALS

Organizational goals are a deliberate attempt to focus on attaining the organizations key functions. These are aims that the organization aims to achieve so as to fulfill its vision and mission. They cover all major key performance areas of local authority in order to enable the well functioning departments of council so as to enhance the quality of life of the Mutarians.these goals can be grouped into long term [those that be achieved on a long period of time] and short term goals [those that can be achieved in a short period of time]

LONG TERM GOALS

To ensure that plant and equipment replacement are put in place. This will enable the organization to function well always and achieve its set objectives, as it will be always sure that all its equipment is in good condition. This can be achieved by establishing a plant and equipment renewals fund for the replacement of plant and equipment
To operate within the budgeted and authorized expenditure. As a local authority it attempts to ensure an efficient information system that will provide the management with timely information to assist in planning the allocation of resources and controlling of expenditure.
To have a sound revenue collection and expenditure control system. It aims at ensuring all monies due to council are collected and properly accounted for. This will improve the revenue collection base and engaging some internal auditors to carry out some regular checks
To enhance stakeholder participation and consultation. Mutare city council as it is there to serve the society; it aims to enhance the only people who exactly know where they need help. This will help it prepare its functions more effectively hence good image building
To provide facilities for the informal sector. The organization aims at promoting the informal sector by providing them with land to operate on. This will then helps them to achieve its objectives, as the quality of life of all people will have been improved for the better
To increase revenue base by 30 percent. This is one of the council’s goals to boost its revenue base so that its income will be high. This it attempts to achieve by implementing some valuation rolls to capture new properties and ensuring that all new residential serviced stand upon allocation are billed

SHORT TERM GOALS

To provide burial facilities. This is one of the city of Mutares goals. It seeks to provide gravesites in Sakubva and upgrade cremation facilities at yeovil cemetery
To facilitate effective gender main streaming council programmes, policies and resolutions. It needs to put in place a gender desk which facilitate an effective gender mainstreaming of the council programmes, policies and resolutions
To reduce the rate of HIV and AIDS transmission. Education and informing public on HIV and AIDS transmission and to promote some voluntary counseling and encouragements
Rehabilitate roads by resurfacing 10km of road every year and undertake potholes pertaining 70km per year and regarding all gravel roads every year
Construct more shells at Sakubva Green Market and establish vending sites in the cbd [central business district]
To prepare and service layout plans with at least 15000 stands per year

OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS

Mutare city council is a service related industrials core business is to provide services to the people. The services provided include housing with the theme housing to all, the municipality is making frantic efforts to try and accommodate the homeless people who lost their houses due to the Murambatsvina exercise, this has been facilitated by the distribution of stands under the Garikai\hlani kuhle operation in Hobhouse and Gimboki

Sewage disposal and treatment, health and educational facilities are some of the services provided by mutare city council. Being a local authority Mutare city council’s operations are based on a set governing statutory rules known, which one is required to follow whenever making a decision these statutes include the Labor Act [chapter 28’01] Water Act [chapter 20’22] Urban Council’s Act [chapter 29’16] Regional Town and Country Planning Act [chapter 29’12] Public Health Act [chapter 15; 19] Municipal Traffic Law Enforcement Act [chapter 29’10] and Shop Licenses Act [chapter 14'17]

The city of Mutare constructed road and rail to the port and these are in excellent conditions and the port itself was modernized for the safe storage and handling of goods. The Beira corridor initiative combined with good natural potential makes. The services provided by Mutare city council are generating revenue and most of the revenue comes from rates, government grants and other traditional sources such taxes and licenses

MAJOR CUSTO

	Type of service
Residents	Good roads, water, housing, community facilities, security, customer service, Recreation amenities, educational and health facilities
Residents
Commerce and Industry
Commuter Operations
Informal Sector Operations
Truckers
Exporters
Government Departments
Tourism

TYPE OF SERVICE

Resident’s roads, water, housing, community facilities, security, education, recreational amenities and health services

Commerce and Industry roads, investor friendly policies and space [commercial stands]

Tourism hotels, lodge, transport and communication networks

Government office space, accommodation, communication systems, educational and health facilities

Informal sector operations factory shells and market space and shelters

Exporters export processing zones good investment policies educated labor force and good roads

EXTERNAL RELATIONS

All council operations are sanctioned by the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29: 15). Other than liaising with all ministries of government on various issues affecting its operations

The city submits monthly reports to the Ministry of Local Government National Housing and Urban Development, which is its parent ministry. The City of Mutare has also established twinning relationships with various cities throughout the world namely;

City of Harlem Netherlands

Manica, Beira, Chimoio Mozambique

Sapporo Japan

Tamesode Metropolitan Borough U K

City of Savannah (Georgia) USA

MAIN COMMITTEES

Audit Committee

To inquire into and report upon the manner in which the finance of the council, its assets and

Human resources are being used.

Finance Committee

To draw up and present for approval of the council estimates and budgets.

Public Works and Town Lands Committee

Ensure the development of the city in terms of the Regional Town and Country Act.(Chapter 29;12)

Community services, housing, health and education committee

To plan and to ensure the implementation of housing projects

Environmental Management committee

To ensure and maintain efficient public cleaning services.

Twinning relationship

There is a strong relationship between the city of Mutare and the city of Harlem in Netherlands. The existence of this relationship strengthens sport development and the provision of housing.

THREATS

(a)Insufficient funding

There is insufficient funding for the city of Mutare arising out of Government budgetary control. Oflate budgets have been frozen or the Ministry deducting tariff increase without refence to the councils planned activities. There is also inadequate financial support from the central Government in the form of grants and capital loans.

POPULATION PRESSURE

Rural to urban and natural growth of population is exerting pressure on infrastructure in the city making it difficulty for the Mutare city council to deal with the situaton. There is likely to be an emergence of the informal or squatters settlements leading to the spread of diseases

Inadequate government support

Completion of large capital projects is seriously hampered by the lack of adequate financial support from central government

Vandalism of council property

Council is spending a lot of money in repairing vandalised property. Civic education is required in order to create a sense of ownership of council property by the residents.

HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is a cause for concern for the city. It calls for heavy financial injection in the city in general.

RECOMMENTATIONS

The council should adopt strategies that can counter effect of inflation and capitalise on projects that can bring revenue to the councial. Also the council should improve its relations with non-governmental organisations so that donor funding and other aid can be brought back and benefit the people of Mutare.

There is need to develop and adopt a human resource strategy that seeks to maximise the productivity of the Human resource, bearing in mind the ever dwindling financial resources, bearing financial resources in the organisation. Also the Council should endeavour to ensure that its Human resources are capitalised to face the challenges of the futures, which are characterised by technological advancement

The council should enforce stringent measures that will deter the residents from

Delaying to pay rates for example close unpaid houses and take the defaulting residents to court or make them pay hefty fines for the houses

The organisation should maintain a good relationship with its employees this will result in the achievement of the organisation as the employees will have a sense of belonging to the organisation and they will have common interests thereby aiming at attaining the stated goals and objectives.

The organisation should make sure that there are computes in all departments. This will make it easier to operate and to have all relevant information stored in the computers and the organisation will be able to achieve its goals and objectives, as all information will be readily available when it is required

Private and public partnership

There are some partnership arrangements with international donors, which are pursued in housing development, provision of schools, clinics and environmental management. This is essential in pulling together resources for implementing developmental projects from various sources without straining ratepayers.

REFERENCES

Andrew parker and Rodrigo Serrano, (2000), Promoting Good Governance Through Social Funds and Decentralisation, kogan page London.

Craythone D.L (1985) Municipal Administration a Handbook, Juta and company Cape Town South Africa

KIT (Royal Tropical Institute)(2004) Gender, Citizenship and Governance Oxfam GB Netherlands

Pieterson E. (2000) Participatory Urban Governance, Practical Appproches, United Nations Centre For Human Settlements Nairobi

Sonia Bendix (1988) Industrial relations In South Africa Juta and Co ltd South Africa.

Urban Councils Act (Chapter29; 15), Revised Edition1966, Government printers.