By Victor Fanuel
HARARE — Zimbabwe’s residents’ organisations have broadly backed the government’s proposed Municipal Police and Courts Bill, arguing that councils need stronger powers to enforce by-laws.
However, they are demanding safeguards against abuse, corruption and what some fear could be an expansion of central government control into local governance.
Cabinet this week approved the Bill, which will allow local authorities to establish municipal police services with powers of arrest and municipal courts to prosecute breaches of council by-laws.
The proposed reforms have received support from residents’ groups that have long complained about illegal settlements, land invasions, environmental offences, illegal vending, noise pollution and other violations that councils have struggled to control.
But the support comes with conditions.
Across submissions, residents’ associations warned that municipal policing must be accompanied by independent oversight, transparent recruitment, professional training, complaints mechanisms and clear limits on police powers.
Residents are cautious about whether the Bill will strengthen local governance through devolution or create another layer of bureaucracy vulnerable to political interference and abuse.
Fears that bill will deepen state control over councils
Harare Residents Trust (HRT) executive director Precious Shumba said the Bill should be examined alongside government’s broader interventions in local authorities, warning that the reforms could further centralise control over councils.
“We have seen government issuing several ministerial directives concerning minimum service delivery standards.
“They have also introduced several measures aimed at tightening their control over local authorities,” Shumba said.
He said municipal policing could increase the presence of national security structures in local government affairs.
“We are likely going to see the presence of police in local government affairs.
“Government is pushing ahead with a deconcentrated form of governance by bringing itself into the lowest tiers of government,” he said.
Shumba questioned whether the proposed reforms align with the Constitution’s devolution provisions under Chapter 14.
“The key provisions of Chapter 14 of the Constitution, beginning with Section 264, are still not being adhered to,” he said.
His concerns reflect a broader fear among residents’ groups that municipal policing could become another mechanism for controlling councils rather than empowering communities.
Residents support stronger council enforcement
Despite concerns over implementation, residents’ organisations largely agree that councils require greater capacity to enforce their own by-laws.
The Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) said empowering local authorities to enforce regulations was consistent with the constitutional vision of devolution.
Executive director Permanent Ngoma, however, said the success of the Bill would depend on implementation.
“However, the success of this reform will depend on implementation rather than the mere creation of new institutions,” she said.
Ngoma said municipal police must operate professionally, transparently and within clearly defined legal limits.
She called for independent oversight, transparent recruitment, accessible complaints mechanisms and meaningful public participation before the reforms are introduced.
She also warned councils against neglecting basic service delivery while establishing new enforcement structures.
“The creation of municipal police should not come at the expense of water, sanitation, roads and waste management,” she said.
South African model offers possible blueprint
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), director Reuben Akili supported the proposal, arguing that specialised municipal police could improve enforcement of local regulations.
He said municipal police could assist councils in dealing with illegal land occupations, environmental pollution, illegal sand mining and noise pollution.
Akili pointed to South Africa’s metropolitan police services as an example of how specialised municipal enforcement can complement national policing while focusing on local government responsibilities.
The South African model, he said, demonstrated that municipal police could fill gaps in enforcing local regulations without replacing national law enforcement agencies.
Corruption fears dominate residents’ concerns
While residents broadly support stronger enforcement, concerns over corruption emerged as one of the biggest reservations.
Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST)
director Alice Kuvheya warned that poorly remunerated municipal police officers could abuse their powers.
“We hope it is not going to cause misconduct against residents because municipal police officers in Chitungwiza have gone for months without salaries.
“They may end up taking advantage of residents by demanding bribes,” Kuvheya said.
She said weak governance structures and poor service delivery in Chitungwiza increased the risk of abuse if accountability measures were not strengthened.
Marondera Residents Open Forum (MAROF), in a statement said municipal policing should represent a complete transformation of council enforcement services rather than simply giving existing personnel new powers.
The forum called for comprehensive retraining, specialised policing courses, rigorous recruitment standards, body-worn cameras, community policing, independent complaints mechanisms, anti-corruption safeguards and regular external audits.
MAROF said the success of the reforms “will depend entirely on the professionalism, competence, integrity, accountability and preparedness” of officers entrusted with arrest powers.
It added that municipal police “should not merely create another enforcement agency but should establish a modern, professional, accountable and community-oriented service.”
Calls for human rights safeguards
The Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust (ZNOART), in a statement described the Bill as a landmark reform capable of strengthening municipal governance.
However, the organisation said arrest powers should only be exercised by a specialised Municipal Enforcement Unit staffed by professionally trained officers meeting nationally prescribed standards.
It also recommended independent complaints systems, continuous professional development and clearly defined operational procedures.
“Strong laws must always be matched by strong accountability.
“Municipal policing should protect residents, uphold the rule of law and improve service delivery,” the organisation said.
The Zimbabwe Union of Residents and Ratepayers Associations (ZURRA) similarly welcomed the Bill, saying stronger enforcement was necessary to address illegal settlements, sand mining and environmental offences.
However, the organisation urged Parliament to clearly define the jurisdiction of municipal courts to prevent residents from facing overlapping prosecutions by municipal courts and ordinary magistrates’ courts.
ZURRA also called for clear standards on recruitment, training, identification and oversight after reports that some municipal police officers have operated without proper identification and have sometimes been perceived by residents as resembling informal militia groups.
Residents question timing of policing reforms
For some residents’ groups, the concern is not only how municipal police will operate, but whether policing should be government’s priority.
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association executive director Cornelius Selipiwe described granting councils arrest powers as “a noble idea” but questioned why government was moving ahead with policing reforms before fully implementing devolution and resolving service delivery failures.
“We are still grappling with devolution.
“We have serious challenges in water provision, refuse collection and municipal clinics, yet we are prioritising giving police more powers.
“We need local authorities to be empowered to budget and implement their programmes without excessive ministerial approval before introducing additional policing powers,” Selipiwe said.
Selipiwe said councils should first demonstrate compliance with minimum service delivery standards before taking on expanded law enforcement responsibilities.
A cautious endorsement heading to Parliament
Although residents’ groups differ on the pace and implementation of the reforms, their position is remarkably consistent.
They support stronger municipal enforcement powers but want Parliament to ensure the Bill contains protections against corruption, abuse of office, political interference and unnecessary bureaucracy.
For residents, the debate is not whether councils should enforce their by-laws — but whether the new powers will strengthen local governance or create another institution that burdens citizens.
With the Bill expected to be tabled for public consultations in Parliament in the near future, residents’ organisations are making their position clear.
Their support is premised on municipal policing serving communities, protecting rights and complementing service delivery rather than becoming another tool of control.
