Who runs local government in Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwe has 92 elected local authorities: 32 urban councils and 60 rural district councils. The 2013 Constitution promises devolution to elected provincial and metropolitan councils, but these have not been set up; ministers appointed by the President run the provinces instead. Chiefs, headmen and village heads have strong constitutional powers over communal land and customary disputes, and 18 chiefs sit in the Senate.
Republic of Zimbabwe · Unitary presidential republic · Southern Africa
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Provinces (8) and metropolitan provinces (2: Harare, Bulawayo) | In practice a Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution appointed by the President; constitutional provincial/metropolitan councils not yet in operation | Coordinates government programmes in the province. |
| Urban councils (32: city, municipal, town councils and local boards) | Ward councillors elected by first-past-the-post, plus (since a 2021 amendment) extra women councillors elected by proportional representation to make up at least 30%; council elects mayor | Water, sewerage, housing, roads and clinics in towns. |
| Rural district councils (60) | Ward councillors elected; ceremonial chairperson chosen by the council; traditional leaders represented without votes | Services and development in rural areas, working with chiefs. |
| Wards (1,958) and villages | Each ward elects one councillor; villages are led by village heads | Lowest units of representation and customary authority. |
Three questions about local power in Zimbabwe
Are local leaders elected?
Ward councillors are elected. Provincial ministers are appointed. Chiefs inherit their claim under custom but are formally appointed by the President; 18 senators are chiefs chosen by fellow chiefs.
Which laws set up local government?
Councils and traditional leaders are both in the Constitution (Chapters 14 and 15) and in laws such as the Traditional Leaders Act 1998. Residents' associations are informal.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Councillors face voters every five years, but local government laws not yet aligned with the 2013 Constitution give the local government minister wide powers, such as reversing or altering council resolutions. Chiefs answer to the President and the Council of Chiefs, and the Constitution forbids partisan conduct.
Traditional and customary authority
Chapter 15 of the Constitution recognises chiefs, headmen and village heads. Chiefs are appointed and removed by the President on the recommendation of the provincial assembly of chiefs through the National Council of Chiefs, following customary succession. Traditional leaders administer communal land, protect the environment, resolve disputes under customary law and have 'authority, jurisdiction and control' over communal land and its residents unless an Act says otherwise. They must not join a political party or act in a partisan way. Sixteen chiefs plus the President and Deputy President of the National Council of Chiefs sit in the 80-member Senate.
Community and neighbourhood power
Village and ward development committees bring together village heads, councillors and residents to plan development. In towns, residents' and ratepayers' associations campaign on services such as water and refuse, but they have no legal powers.
Points to know
- The constitutional promise of elected provincial councils has not been carried out more than a decade after 2013.
- Chiefs' right to non-partisanship is in the Constitution, yet they are appointed by the President.
- Only military, mining and wildlife areas and national parks lie outside local authority areas.
Local terms
- Rural district council (RDC)
- The elected local authority for a rural district.
- Village head (sabhuku)
- The lowest level of traditional leader, responsible for a village.
Sources
- Constitution of Zimbabwe 2013 (rev. 2017), Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- Country profile: Zimbabwe (SNG-WOFI, 2022 edition), OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment (SNG-WOFI), checked 14 October 2026
See also: Zimbabwe's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.