Midlands Province: The Office of Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution

In 2019, MSU-CPPD signed a MoU with the Office of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in the Midlands Province, forging a collaborative partnership dedicated to driving economic growth through provincial devolution, aligning with the government’s Vision 2030 national agenda. Through this MoU, MSU-CPPD actively supported the province in developing and reviewing a comprehensive Provincial Economic Development Plan. In addition, MSU-CPPD provides advisory services to the Provincial Development Committee.

MoU signing ceremony between MSU-CPPD and Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution

  • Gweru City Council

The collaborative partnership between MSU-CPPD and the Gweru City Council seeks to contribute to the improvement of service delivery and governance.

MSU-CPPD works alongside the Gweru City Council in delivering efficient and effective services across crucial areas such as water management, infrastructure, healthcare, and customer care.

Furthermore, MSU-CPPD plays a key role in enhancing the Gweru City Council’s governance practices through strategic plan reviews and the provision of advisory services.

MSU-CPPD’s expertise is readily available to the following Gweru City Council Technical Committees:

  • Water supply
  • Town planning
  • Roads, public lighting and infrastructure
  • Waste management
  • Health services
  • Housing
  • Emergency services
  • Customer care
  • Social/community services
  • IT issues
  • Agriculture
  • Local economic development
  • Governance issues

MoU signing ceremony between MSU-CPPD and Gweru City Council

Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA)

On September 26th, 2023, MSU-CCPD joined forces with GRRA, strengthening their shared commitment to fostering good governance and community engagement through a MoU. This partnership serves as a testament to the organisations’ united front in promoting active community participation and effective service delivery.

MSU-CPPD supports GRRA by providing capacity development in the form of:

  • Short courses: Equipping residents with essential knowledge on councillor roles, leadership skills, community engagement, local economic development, WADCO operations, and related topics.
  • Workshops and seminars: Deepening understanding of service delivery mechanisms and fostering open communication with residents.

This collaborative effort empowers residents and strengthens the capacity of GRRA, ultimately contributing to improved governance and service delivery outcomes in Gweru.

MoU signing ceremony between MSU-CPPD and GRRA

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)

On September 26th, 2023, the MSU-CPPD and BPRA formalised their partnership through a MoU, underscoring their mutual dedication to promoting effective governance and community engagement. This collaboration underscores the aligned vision of both organisations in advancing active community engagement and efficient service provision.

MSU-CPPD’s support to BPRA encompasses comprehensive capacity development initiatives, including:

  • Offering short courses aimed at equipping residents with indispensable knowledge pertaining to councillor responsibilities, leadership acumen, community engagement strategies, local economic development, WADCO operations, and public policy dialogues.
  • Conducting workshops and seminars to enhance comprehension of service delivery mechanisms and nurture transparent communication channels with residents.

Barefoot Education for Afrika Trust: Beat Afrika

In 2023, MSU-CPPD and Beat Afrika Academy solidified their shared vision of fostering societal transformation through knowledge creation by signing a MoA. This collaboration directly aligns with the national ambition of achieving a knowledge-driven upper-middle-income economy by 2030. The MoA focuses on three key areas: developing short courses; delivering workshops for sub-national government; and engaging in interdisciplinary research. This partnership fosters mutual benefit through information exchange, joint knowledge creation, training and capacity building and collaborative research.

Zimbabwe Women’s Resource Centre and Network (ZWRCN)

MSU-CPPD and the ZWRCN have forged a robust partnership dedicated to advancing women’s rights across various fronts. Their collaboration spans a multitude of critical areas aimed at empowering women and combating gender-based inequalities. These include:

  • Conducting joint research projects to analyse and address systemic barriers to women’s participation in decision-making processes.
  • Organising workshops and training sessions focused on enhancing women’s leadership skills and promoting gender-sensitive policies in both academic and community settings.
  • Advocating for legislative reforms to strengthen legal protections against gender-based violence and discrimination.
  • Implementing awareness campaigns to challenge harmful stereotypes and promote gender equality in education, employment, and other spheres of society.

On November 28, 2023, in response to the need to combat gender-based violence, MSU-CPPD, in collaboration with the ZWRCN, convened a webinar to inaugurate 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. The blended meeting saw participation from a panel of experts representing the Zimbabwe Republic Police Victim Friendly Unit, MSU’s Cyber Security section, and Pada Platform. The aim was to delve into the complexities of cyberbullying and sexual harassment in the digital sphere.

MSU-CPPD, in collaboration with the ZWRCN, convened a webinar on complexities of cyberbullying and sexual harassment in the digital sphere.

Chikomba Rural District Council

Thursday 22, February 2024 saw MSU-CPPD holding a consultative meeting at Gweru Main Campus with Chikomba Rural District Council aimed at establishing collaborative networks to strengthen the council’s governance and service delivery.

The objective of the meeting was to map a path towards the establishment of a MoU.

During her opening remarks, Coordinator – MSU-CPPD, Mrs. Virginia Makanza, highlighted that the main agenda of the meeting was to establish a collaborative framework that would enhance Chikomba Rural District Council’s capacity in terms of effective governance and service delivery.

During the meeting, various areas of collaboration were discussed including research and development, capacity development, waste management, digitalisation, agriculture, integration of Geographic Information System (GIS) and policy making.

Chikomba RDC – Chief Executive Officer Mr. B.T Chiwara expressed optimism for the collaboration in advancing the district’s development.

Chikomba Rural District Council was represented by Chief Executive Officer – Mr. B.T Chiwara, Chief Executive Officer – Human Resource Admin and Social Service, Mr. T. Chiriga and Council Chairperson, Mr. A.I. Dhikinya.

Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD)

CPPD, in collaboration with the ICLD facilitated a series of workshops aimed at enhancing the leadership capabilities of councillors across Zimbabwe’s local authorities. These sessions brought together representatives from all the 92 local authorities across Zimbabwe.

The primary objective of these workshops was to equip councilors with the necessary competencies to fulfill their roles effectively. Key focus areas included leadership, devolved governance, conflict resolution, team building, and community engagement among others.  

Through interactive sessions, participants engaged in robust dialogue, leveraging collective insights to address pertinent challenges and devise sustainable strategies. The workshops provided a platform for knowledge exchange and peer learning, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement among councilors and staff.

Ultimately, the overarching aim was to empower councilors and with the requisite skills and knowledge to drive positive change within their communities. By strengthening their leadership capacities, these councillors are poised to navigate complexities and lead their constituencies towards growth and prosperity.

MSU-CPPD and ICLD training workshop for local councillors and staff from all ten provinces of Zimbabwe