By a Correspondent
Treasury has admitted that it has failed for several years to comply with a key constitutional requirement to allocate at least five percent of national revenue to provinces and local authorities under Zimbabwe’s devolution framework.
Deputy finance minister Kuda Mnangagwa made the admission in Parliament, acknowledging that government has consistently fallen short of the constitutional threshold despite the legal obligation to transfer the funds annually.
“When discussing policy in line with devolution, it is important to note that devolution is enshrined in the Constitution. The law requires that five percent of national revenue collected be allocated to devolution,” Mnangagwa said.
“Over the past five years, as a Ministry, we have not been able to meet that constitutional obligation, and as we speak, we are still falling short of fulfilling it.”
The remarks place renewed focus on the implementation of Chapter 14 of the Constitution, which establishes devolution as a key pillar of governance aimed at improving service delivery and promoting equitable development across the country.
Section 301(3) of the Constitution requires the State to allocate not less than five percent of nationally raised revenue each year to provincial and local authorities through intergovernmental fiscal transfers.
Mnangagwa attributed the funding shortfalls to persistent fiscal challenges facing government.
“There is an acknowledgment that, in the past, we have failed to meet our constitutional obligations due to prevailing fiscal constraints. As matters stand today, I would not say that we are fully up to date in meeting those obligations. However, the will is there, Mr Speaker, and we will continue to work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that we fulfill our responsibilities with regard to devolution,” he said.
Despite the admission, the Deputy Minister said Treasury remained committed to achieving full compliance. He noted that Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube had repeatedly directed that devolution allocations be fully disbursed this year and in future budget cycles.
Mnangagwa also pointed to administrative challenges within local authorities as a contributing factor to delays in disbursement.
He said councils are required to meet conditions outlined in the Intergovernmental Transfer Programme manual before funds can be released, adding that some local authorities had failed to comply with the prescribed procedures.
“There is a prescribed process that must be followed before devolution funds can be disbursed. As a ministry, we are ready and willing to disburse these funds, but we cannot do so when local authorities have not fulfilled the mandatory requirements,” he said.
The devolution funds are critical for financing infrastructure projects, healthcare facilities, water and sanitation systems, and road rehabilitation programmes at provincial and local government level.
Mnangagwa said government intends to expand development projects funded through devolution, arguing that the programme has already demonstrated its potential to improve service delivery in communities.
The admission represents a rare public acknowledgment by Treasury of its failure to fully meet constitutional spending obligations, highlighting the financial pressures facing government while reigniting debate over the pace and effectiveness of Zimbabwe’s devolution agenda.
