Zimbabwe's Biggest Cities Lag Behind as Local Authority Performance Declines in 2025, Government Report Shows

HARARE – Zimbabwe's local authorities recorded a decline in overall performance during 2025, with the country's largest urban councils failing to significantly improve service delivery despite their critical role in driving economic growth, according to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works' latest performance evaluation. The Annual Performance Feedback Report for the 2025 Fiscal Year reveals that the average performance score for Zimbabwe's 92 local authorities fell from 3.67 in 2024 to 3.61 in 2025 on a six-point assessment scale, signalling a slowdown in service delivery improvements.

Although the national average remains above the minimum acceptable threshold, the report warns that most councils are maintaining rather than improving services, raising concerns as the Government transitions into the second phase of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2). The assessment, conducted by independent consultancy Best Practices (Private) Limited, evaluated all 92 local authorities, comprising 60 rural district councils and 32 urban councils, against agreed annual performance targets.

One of the report's key findings is the sharp decline in the number of councils achieving all their annual targets. Only 20 percent of local authorities met every performance target in 2025, down from 31 percent the previous year. This means that four out of every five councils failed to fully deliver on their planned commitments. The report identifies local authorities as the weakest-performing institutions within the Ministry's broader performance management framework and warns that without urgent reforms, service delivery could stagnate further and undermine national development objectives.

Using the six-point rating system, councils scoring four or above exceeded expectations, while a score of three represented acceptable performance within allowable variance. Scores below three reflected underperformance requiring corrective intervention.

The report found that rural district councils continued to outperform urban municipalities.

Rural councils recorded an average performance score of 3.66, compared to 3.52 for urban local authorities. Among rural councils, 12 exceeded their performance targets, 45 performed within acceptable variance, while only three were classified as underperforming.

Urban councils fared less impressively, with only six councils exceeding targets, 23 performing within acceptable variance, and three falling below acceptable standards. According to the report, stronger rural performance was driven by effective utilisation of devolution resources, focused service delivery programmes, lower infrastructure complexity, and stronger partnerships with the Government and development agencies.

Despite being Zimbabwe's largest economic centres, Harare, Bulawayo, and Chitungwiza failed to rank among the country's top-performing councils. Zvimba Rural District Council emerged as Zimbabwe's best-performing local authority with a score of 4.42. Mutare City ranked second nationally and was the highest-performing urban council after scoring 4.33, followed by Kwekwe City on 4.31. Harare scored 3.77, placing 10th among urban councils and 50th nationally.

Bulawayo followed closely with 3.72, ranking 11th among urban authorities and 51st nationally.

Chitungwiza performed considerably worse, recording 3.29, placing 21st among urban councils and 61st nationally. The report warns that underperformance by Zimbabwe's largest municipalities poses significant economic risks because these cities are expected to anchor industrial growth, investment, commerce, and urban development.

The findings reinforce recent remarks by Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe, who described Harare, Bulawayo, and Chitungwiza as councils in the "intensive care unit" because of persistent failures in water supply, refuse collection, sewer management, and road maintenance. The minister has directed the three councils to submit turnaround strategies detailing how they intend to improve service delivery.

Despite the overall decline in performance, the report highlights several achievements recorded during 2025. Local authorities completed 1,867 ward development projects, exceeding the annual target of 1,462 projects. Councils also drilled 1,690 boreholes, constructed 429 classroom blocks and 135 clinics, maintained more than 18,285 kilometres of roads, achieved over 95 percent refuse collection coverage in central business districts, implemented 85 percent e-governance systems, and ensured that all public services were available online.

The report attributes these gains to collaboration between central Government, local communities, the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA), development partners, non-governmental organisations, and the private sector.

At the bottom of the national rankings were Chimanimani Rural District Council, which scored 2.21, and Mutasa Rural District Council, which scored 2.35. The report links poor performance to weak governance systems, deteriorating infrastructure, low revenue collection, and persistent failures in delivering basic municipal services. Many struggling councils reportedly collected less than 30 percent of their projected revenues.

Nationally, revenue collection averaged only 59 percent, while non-revenue water losses stood at approximately 45 percent. Other major challenges identified include ageing water and sewer infrastructure, inadequate equipment, delayed devolution funding, reduced allocations from the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA), rapid urbanisation, illegal settlements, and the growth of informal vending. More than 80 percent of councils reportedly received no devolution funding during 2025, resulting in stalled infrastructure projects and delays in acquiring critical service delivery equipment. The report also notes that poor payment compliance by residents and outstanding debts owed by Government institutions continue to weaken municipal finances.

To improve local authority performance, the report recommends establishing a Presidential Local Government Performance Delivery Unit to strengthen monitoring and accountability. Other recommendations include improving revenue collection systems, introducing minimum service delivery standards, accelerating rehabilitation of water and sewer infrastructure, increasing investment in municipal equipment, and expanding public-private partnerships.

Speaking recently at the launch of the Citizens Engagement and Scoring Platform, Permanent Secretary for Local Government and Public Works, Dr John Basera, said the Government is shifting its focus from administrative reforms to measurable service delivery outcomes.

"We are transitioning from setting up administrative structures to enforcing aggressive high-impact service outcomes," Basera said.

Meanwhile, Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) director Ruben Akili urged councils to refocus on their constitutional mandate.

"Local authorities must return to the fundamentals of local governance. Their primary responsibility is to provide essential services such as clean water, efficient sewer management, refuse collection, road maintenance and public health," Akili said.

"Over the years, some councils have become preoccupied with activities that are peripheral to their constitutional mandate, often at the expense of service delivery. Residents expect reliable water supplies, effective waste management and well-maintained infrastructure, and those priorities must come first."

Zimbabwe local authorities performance 2025