The Scandal of Disconnection: The Failure of Institutional Local Government in Zimbabwe
The Scandal of Disconnection: The Failure of Institutional Local Government in Zimbabwe As Zimbabwe moves into the implementation phase of Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) as the pathway to achieving Vision 2030 and transforming the country into an upper-middle-income economy, the role of institutional local government warrants renewed scrutiny. At the centre of this scrutiny lies a fundamental concern: the scandal of disconnection. Development Planning Disconnection NDS2 correctly recognises the role of local government in national development by placing strong emphasis on devolution and decentralisation, service delivery and accountability, local economic development (LED), and institutional reform and public sector modernisation. It further acknowledges that development outcomes are territorially produced, that local authorities matter for economic transformation, and that governance reform is central to national recovery. While NDS2 sets the right dev...