The party, led by the United States based retired army Lieutenant Charles Mutama, said the shadow councils would keep in check urban and rural councils under the MDC Alliance and Zanu-PF “with the sole intention of providing solutions to the myriad problems bedevilling our local authorities”.
“The shadow councillors will mirror the positions of each individual member of the 1 956 wards in Zimbabwe without any executive power. It will be the responsibility of the shadow councils to scrutinise the policies and actions of both the MDC Alliance and Zanu-PF, as well as to offer alternative policies,” Mutama said in a statement yesterday.
“The inaugural Patriotic Zimbabweans shadow council will be launched in Mutare to mirror the town council in the eastern town. Led by the shadow mayor, the shadow council will provide feedback from ratepayers, interface with current councillors, interface with the media on a regular basis, interface with the Minister of local government, and provide alternative policies.”
The party was formed last month.
“A series of press conferences, meetings, consultations, and outreaches will be conducted by the shadow councillors while the shadow mayor will be the facilitator of the initiative with the assistance of the party technocrats.
“For the benefit of rate payers of Zimbabwe who are found in the 92 local authorities, 32 of them urban and 60 rural, Patriotic Zimbabweans will ensure participatory democracy, transparency and decentralisation are important elements in ensuring that there is quality service provision. The party will work tirelessly to ensure that the Urban Council Act is aligned with the constitution around the concept of devolution…
“Considering the foregoing, the Patriotic Zimbabweans Party will make a considered analysis of the current legislation and service delivery in order to come up with solutions that address the bread and butter issues of rate payers or what we have termed basic necessities that make our councils service providers.”
