Zimbabwe: Epworth Residents Shut Out of Budget Talks, Zurra Cries Foul

What the report says

The Zimbabwe Union of Residents and Ratepayers Associations (ZURRA) has criticised the alleged exclusion of residents’ representatives from consultations on the 2026 Epworth Local Board budget. The concern centres on a meeting in Epworth North Ward 5, where representatives of the Kushinga Epworth Residents Trust were reportedly turned away because the group was not registered as a Private Voluntary Organisation.

According to the report published by 263Chat and distributed by AllAfrica, ZURRA said the episode raises questions about whether local communities are being denied a voice in decisions that affect council spending, service delivery and development. Its spokesperson, Marvellous Kumalo, argued that residents should be able to participate in budget processes because they are directly affected by the outcomes.

The organisation said excluding residents’ associations weakens accountability and undermines public participation. It also pointed to constitutional provisions it says protect community involvement in development matters. ZURRA further called on the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare to brief police on the Private Voluntary Organisations Act, urged the Ministry of Local Government to sensitise Epworth officials on municipal budgeting, and asked the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission to look into reported intimidation involving local authorities and law enforcement.

More broadly, the dispute highlights recurring tensions in local governance over who is permitted to speak in public consultations and how legal registration rules are applied to civic groups.