Tiyani Hahlani
Centre News Hub
Masvingo – For years, residents have complained about being sidelined in key council financial decisions, but the City of Masvingo’s newly established Stakeholder Budget Committee is now being hailed as a possible turning point towards a transparent and inclusive move that will enhance citizens’ participation in the determination of their revenue expenditure.
The committee comprises stakeholders from various sectors, including residents associations, vendors, women, youth and other special interest groups like Persons with Disabilities.
The Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) has welcomed the move, describing it as a progressive step that could give residents, vendors, women, youths, and other community groups a stronger voice in how public funds are allocated and development priorities are determined.
In a statement, VISET said the formation of the committee demonstrated the City of Masvingo’s commitment to strengthening participatory governance, transparency, and accountability in local public finance management.
The organisation said inclusive budgeting processes were essential in building responsive local authorities that reflect the priorities and aspirations of communities, particularly informal economy workers, small business operators, women, youths, and persons with disabilities.
VISET particularly applauded the inclusion of residents’ associations, business organisations, women’s groups, youth representatives, financial institutions, religious organisations, and special interest groups in the committee structure.
“Inclusive budgeting processes are essential in building responsive local authorities that reflect the priorities and aspirations of communities,” read part of the statement.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) Director, Anoziva Muguti, applauded the establishment of the committee, saying it had the potential to improve trust between residents and council.
“As an association, we welcome the establishment of the stakeholder budget committee, which is a very positive and progressive development for the City of Masvingo, as it creates an important platform for meaningful engagement between council and stakeholders on budgeting and public expenditure issues,” said Muguti.
Disability Rights defenders also welcome the move, saying they had long been sidelined in local governance processes, hence the inclusion in the budget committee will assist them in fighting for a disability friendly budget that addresses their needs.
“This is a step in the right direction by the local authority, prioritising the inclusion of Persons with disabilities, which moves in line with the government mantra of leaving no place no one behind. This is positive to PWDs because they can now participate and contribute to the budget process that addresses our needs and priorities, “said Pastor Cover Mugwadi, a disability rights advocate.
VISET also commended the City of Masvingo and its partners for investing in stakeholder training workshops aimed at equipping committee members with knowledge on governance systems, stakeholder engagement, public financial management, and budget monitoring.
“As an organisation working to advance social and economic justice for informal economy workers, VISET strongly believes that participatory budgeting is a cornerstone of democratic local governance,” the statement further read.
The organisation added that the committee would create opportunities for communities to influence development priorities, improve service delivery, and promote accountability in the utilisation of public funds.
MURRA added that residents and civic groups had for years been advocating for greater transparency, accountability, and inclusivity in local governance processes.
“We believe that when community representatives are involved in budget discussions, there is a greater likelihood that the budget will reflect the actual priorities and service delivery needs of residents, while also promoting greater public ownership and oversight of council programmes and resources,” Muguti said.
Muguti said the committee should bring practical changes such as wider consultations with residents at the ward and community level, greater transparency in the sharing of budget information, and stronger accountability on how public resources are allocated and utilised.
“The committee should ensure that residents’ priorities, particularly around water, roads, waste management, health services, and other key service delivery concerns, are genuinely considered during budget formulation rather than consultation becoming a mere formality,” he said.
VISET encouraged the City of Masvingo to continue institutionalising citizen participation beyond the budgeting process and ensure that stakeholder engagement remains consistent, transparent, and accessible to all sectors of society, especially marginalised and vulnerable groups.
