MDC Legislator Clifford Hlatshwayo, speaking to the Newsday said their councils, which control 28 out of 32 councils in Zimbabwe have strived to provide service in the midst of a dire economic crisis.
Asked how he would rate their performance Clifford Hlatshwayo, said:
<blockquote>We have striven to deliver prudent services under a debilitating national economic meltdown. The MDC has a smart city agenda in all urban local authorities and development and urbanisation of rural areas for the rural communities. These are clear developmental programmes for a better Zimbabwe.
These two programmes are guiding all our work in the several local authorities that we lead, thanks to the voters in the respective local authorities.
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<div id="admixer_a0bab558a42b412ebace5b9bbfe8b621_zone_42903_sect_13197_site_10293">In March this year, our president, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Nelson_Chamisa">Nelson Chamisa,</a> will be hosting a smart city summit, where we shall take stock of our successes and sculpt further strategies to enhance service delivery and strengthen some weak ends.</div>
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We are pleased with the progress we continue to make in the face of adversities such as a run-down economy and an Executive whose illegitimacy drives them to spurn good governance tenets and constitutional provisions. Central government has displayed an insatiable appetite for destruction and a penchant for interference in this crucial sector.</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2020/02/our-councils-hard-hit-by-economic-crisis-2/">Newsday </a>

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We Have Striven To Deliver Prudent Services Under A Debilitating National Economic Meltdown - MDC's Clifford Hlatshwayo

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has upon his arrival from the People’s Republic of China, where he was for the past four months been receiving medical attention, aimed criticism at local government authorities which are being run mainly by the opposition MDC.
Chiwenga accused the councils of failing to deliver public goods as they pursue “party interests” at the expense of residents.
<blockquote>To the others, it will not help to have that Genghis Khan mentality. He wanted to conquer the world and went through the ancient desert. All the horses perished, all the men perished, so why would you want to do that?</blockquote>
His remarks come when almost all local government authorities in the country are failing to provide ratepayers with basic public goods including potable water, lighting, garbage collection, sewer reticulation and road maintenance citing inadequacy of resources among other issues.
Clifford Hlatshwayo, MDC shadow deputy minister for local government, however, dismissed Chiwenga’s sentiments saying he was not in sync with reality on the ground since he spent a lot of time outside the country.
Hlatshwayo further attributed local authorities’ failure to execute their duties and responsibilities mainly to interference by the central government.
More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2019/11/vp-chiwenga-torches-storm/">News Day</a>

VP Chiwenga Castigates The "Genghis Khan Mentality" Which MDC-Run Councils Have

The MDC Alliance says the ZANU PF-led central government has handicapped local authorities from being able to discharge their duties.
Residents in almost all urban areas have bemoaned poor service delivery for many years, with the MDC dominating most of those municipalities.
MDC deputy secretary for local government, Clifford Hlatshwayo, accused the central government of interfering in the affairs of local authorities. He said:
<blockquote>These challenges are manufactured by Zanu PF, a de facto government that controls the central government.
Its interference is all over in our local authorities, but our mayors and councillors are trying to deliver smart services.
Our councils did their budgets using the 1:1 rate of the Zimdollar against the United States dollar and now [Finance minister Mthuli] Ncube introduced something different from what was planned.
This has hampered service delivery. That has affected councils and residents who can’t even pay rates now.
This economic challenge is affecting everyone and people can’t even pay rents.</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2019/09/mdc-accuses-zanu-pf-of-hampering-service-delivery/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

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