FUNGAYI MUNYORO-CHINGAIRA

CHIPINGE TIMES REPORTER

CHIPINGE -Chipinge Town Council has completed a two day workshop with residents and stakeholders on by-law customization, Chipinge Times can reveal.

The workshop which was open to residents and stakeholders started on Wednesday and ended yesterday at the local authority’s boardroom.

Chipinge Town has been operating with only four by-laws which were approved by the Ministry of Local Government in 2010.

Acting Town Secretary James Mutemera told Chipinge Times that they submitted 25 by-laws to the ministry in 2010 and only four were approved.

“We have been operating with the four by-laws which were approved between 2010-11 by the ministry. I can admit that it was not easy to operate without these by-laws, because as council we couldn’t take an offender to court without producing a by-law. 

“We had a workshop to customize by-laws with stakeholders and residents. The ministry came up with model by-laws where every local authority must customize these by-laws,” he said.

Mutemera explained the process saying the by-laws were read to the stakeholders and residents so that they will have an appreciation of them.

“First we do the reading and appreciation of these by-laws. We then customize them to suit our situation here. We do not change anything but we customize. The next stage is to advertise and submit for approval. 

Mutemera said the local authority targets a total of 70 bylaws by end of year.

“We are moving as a fraternity that by the end of the year we shall have more than 70 bylaws. The Urban council act has about 160 bylaws and to govern a town it’s all about bylaws,” he said.