G.R.R.

together we will restore Gweru pride

GRRA
Profile

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) is a residents' association operating in
Gweru whose main objective is to advocate and lobby service providers and policy-makers
to provide quality services to residents. GRRA was founded and established by Cornilia
Selipiwe and Michael Carter Manduna, who brought together a dedicated community
leaders with a passion for quality service delivery. Residents in Gweru experience poor
service delivery from the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), Gweru City Council
(GCC) and elected representatives such as the councillors and Members of Parliament.
Nineteen structures of GRRA were established through a process of careful identification of
residents who understood the value of tackling civic issues. GRRA has a dedicated suburban
residents' committee and inducts them on the GRRA approach.
VISION STATEMENT
Empowered residents who are fully aware of their rights and can meaningfully
participate in the development of Gweru.

MISSION STATEMENT
To monitor and advocate for efficient service delivery through engagement for
inclusive development.

CORE VALUES

Ø Accountability
Ø Transparency
Ø inclusivity
Ø Constitutionalism
Ø Non-partisan
OBJECTIVES
I) To be an effective watch dog and a vehicle for effective social transformation
and good Governance in Gweru.
ii) To demand for the provision of quality and timeous municipal services
viz including but not limited to the following:
(a) Timeous bin and refuse collection.
(b) Reasonable availability of water in both residential and business
areas.
(c) Immediate repairing of roads (e.g. lling of potholes) in the
Streets, Central Business Centre and any other roads in Gweru.
(d) Immediate and effective repairing of water pipes and sewer
pipes when they burst.
(e) Clearing of bushes along all roads and Streets
(f ) Reasonable availability of electricity in both residential and
business areas.
(g) Immediate repairing of robots (e.g. installation of solar backed
robots or robots backed by other different power systems) in the
Gweru Central business Centre and other delicate places in Gweru.
iii) To provide for civil education on policy formulation and any other
monitoring mechanisms for the bene t of Gweru Residents and Rate-
payers.
iv) To lobby and advocate for democratic engagements between Gweru
residents, rate-payers and Gweru City Council to enable that the
waters bills, Rates bills and any other bills being charged by Council
are reasonable, justi ed and proportional to the services being
rendered.
v) To promote sustainable urban environment management.
vi) To encourage ethical, economic, modern and efficient methods of
service delivery by Gweru City Council.
vii) To promote the betterment of Gweru residents and rate-payers in the
attainment of their economic and social goals through efficient service
delivery by Gweru City Council.
viii) To mobilize resources to help further the objectives of the Trust
through partnerships with other Associations with similar vision.
ix) To source funding for less privileged bene ciaries.
x) Promote economic and social growth as well as prosperity in the City of
Gweru at large.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
LUCKSON SHERENI MUGARA (Chairman)

CORNILIA SELIPIWE (Executive Director)

ALBERT CHADOKA (Treasurer)

CATHERINE MPANDAGUTA (Secretary)

FLORENCE MUDZURANDENDE (Committee Member

ARTHUR FIDELIS CHIKEREMA (Committee Member)

ACTIVITIES
Citizen Accountability Indabas

This is one of our key emerging approach in the participatory approach to developmental
discourse, in a bid to address socioeconomic inequalities in our city. Good governance is
also a major component of this approach shown that there is correlation between an
effective governance system and the level of socioeconomic development in Gweru. Our
Citizen Accountability Indabas have placed residents at the epi-centre of service delivery
especially in relation to the decision-making process and oversight on our local authority
(Gweru City Council) policies. Our residents scrutinize on issues to do with social services,
such as health, housing, water, sanitation, road maintenance etc. In this equation, the local
authority has an obligation to provide basic human needs to its residents since they have a
right to demand answers from councillors and council management in the manner the
afore-mentioned social services are provided. The approach emphasizes direct
engagement between the councillors and residents in policy decision-making through a
broad range of actions and mechanisms that promote dialogue. Our Indabas seek to create
the following:

1. A practical platform for meaningful participation amongst residents, civic society groups
and council.

2. Constructive participation to enhance con dence within communities in their ability to

play an impactful role to improve council accountability and service delivery.

3. Improve the oversight role of residents and civic societies as intermediators in the city.

Participatory Budgeting Workshops

Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) is mandated to Involve all residents in
the budgeting process. By openly inviting residents to participate in the budgeting process,
policy-makers can improve their cooperation from the electorate when introducing crucial
policy. Moreover, our Association enables policy-makers with a preview of how the public
might react to more controversial budget choices and protect them from the backlash that
invariably results from unpopular decisions. Our citizen participation processes are both
educative about the important policy decisions and empower diverse stakeholder groups
in our respective 14 wards without the funds necessary to put pressure on policy-makers
through lobbying. Our Association offers residents a sense of empowerment by advocating
and lobbying for education and training, participatory governance, social inclusion and
appreciation. Our vision, mission and core values are in line with the supreme law of the
country. Section 14 of the Zimbabwe Constitution Amendment (No. 20) Sub-section (1) of
2013, states that all institutions and agencies of government at every level must endeavour
to facilitate and take appropriate measures to empower through appropriate, transparent,
fair and just affirmative action for marginalized persons, groups and communities in
Zimbabwe. Section 9 recognises good governance as another pillar of the welfare of its
citizens.
ACTIVITIES
Policy Dialogue Meetings

Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) have tf, a different approach in dealing
with the problems in the City. Over the years the Association has had a confrontational and
rather radical approach in dealing with Council. The Association however realised that for
the city to progress in terms of development there was need to change the approach and
be more engaging and create good relations with council and at the same time being
objective. This new approach has yielded more results than expected. The Association then
held a Policy Dialogue meeting with the Councillors including the Mayor its thrust being to
discuss issues around policy making, capacitate them on how to formulate successful
policies and how to manage con icts. Also building relationships between Councillors and
the Residents Association and how they can work together productively.

Save water campaigns

Gweru Residents and Ratepayers Association (GRRA) has formulated save water campaigns
as strategies to raise awareness in all the 19 wards in the city. The importance of save water
campaigns has had the aim of changing the behaviours of local residents to use water in a
sustainable manner since water levels at Gwenhoro and Amapongobwe Dam have been
falling at an alarming level. Our aim has not only been to change citizen attitudes and
behaviour to improve water use efficiency but to educate and inform the people on the
socio-economic and environmental bene ts of water conservation. GRRA has used
effective communication means include traditional and social media, as well as direct
communication such as workshops, presentations, stakeholder dialogues, etc. Raising
water conservation awareness is important as the combined impact of even small
improvements in individual household use can amount to signi cant savings at a
municipality level.

Capacitation of GRRA Ward Structures

Our training programmes for 19 GRRA ward structures in the city have created high-level
consciousness towards individual community leaders, on how they understand their
current realities in their respective communities. Their perception and analysis of their
demands and needs are tested in how they practically manage and implement the “action
plans” that have been put in place to deal with their most pressing community issues such
as water and sanitation, road maintenance, refuse collection etc. The methodology is
participative and builds on the personal and collective experiences of ward structures. It
therefore allows for a common relevancy that can be identi ed with by all participants. The
training workshops are implemented and facilitated by trainers who have been trained at
national, provincial and ward levels.
 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President

Vice President

Secretary-General Treasurer Organising

Secretary
Commitee
Members

SECRETARIAT