Facilitating the development of an institutional model in Mzingwane Catchment Council Some Lessons Emmanuel Manzungu Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Engineering, University of Zimbabwe University of Zimbabwe

THREE CRITICAL QUESTIONS: 1. Who are the water users? 1. Who are the water users? 2. How can the water users best be represented? 2. How can the water users best be represented? 3. How to deal with representation at different scales: 3. How to deal with representation at different scales: – a) local – b) sub-catchment council – c) catchment council – d) basin

CONTEXT –SCALE AND BOUNDARIES Hydrological boundaries Country divided into catchment and sub- catchment areas Country divided into catchment and sub- catchment areas Presided over by catchment and sub- catchment councils Presided over by catchment and sub- catchment councils Boundaries determined by technicians Boundaries determined by technicians

CONTEXT –SCALE AND BOUNDARIES Hydrological boundaries Mzingwane catchment (Limpopo basin in Zimbabwe) divided into 4 sub-catchment council areas -Shashe -Upper Mzingwane -Lower Mzingwane & -Mwenezi

CONTEXT –SCALE AND BOUNDARIES Hydrological boundaries Notable Deficiencies: 1) General lack of awareness of the new institutions 2) Gap between grassroots water users, e.g. smallholder irrigation schemes, primary users and the sub-catchment council 3) Poor link between catchment council and basin institution

CONTEXT –SCALE AND BOUNDARIES Socio-political administrative boundaries Socio-political administrative boundaries (local; government) are an important reality Are a mixture of traditional, elected and appointed (executive) institutions Reflect both national and local dynamics and sometimes even regional dynamics Local government system is heavily layered Any institutional model has to take account of this

MinistryChiefs Council Nation P A ChiefsProvince Parliament Provincial Governor Provincial Council District Administrator Headman /Kraalheads WADCO? Chief (s) /Headman/m en DistrictRural Development Council Traditional village ?? Ward KraalheadsVillageVIDCO? Kraalhead ExecutiveElectedJurisdictionTraditional

THE PROCESS OF MODEL DEVELOPMENT A bottom up approach Decision to start at the grassroots level Mzingwane Catchment Council and ZINWA chose Shashe sub-catchment as the pilot Three wards representing -Irrigation scheme that uses water from ZINWA dam -Irrigation scheme using water ‘illegally’ -Irrigation scheme using ZINWA-operated pumps (sand abstraction)

Model development in three wards

ANSWERING QUESTION 1 Who are the water users/stakeholders? We avoided pre-identification of stakeholders We avoided pre-identification of stakeholders We allowed local people to identify who the stakeholders were We allowed local people to identify who the stakeholders were We adopted the least resistance approach –start with less controversial issues We adopted the least resistance approach –start with less controversial issues –Started with WATER USES and not WATER USERS, in case there was a squabble between some users –Avoided asking first what were the water problems –From water uses people were asked to list water users

ANSWERING QUESTION 1 Who are the water users/stakeholders? Local people admitted forgetting number, location and status of boreholes! Local people admitted forgetting number, location and status of boreholes! Even the preliminary session could not sort out the problem –PRA blues!!! Even the preliminary session could not sort out the problem –PRA blues!!! Men tend to know less about boreholes!!!! Men tend to know less about boreholes!!!!

ANSWERING QUESTION 1 Who are the water users/stakeholders? Student-assisted map of water resources at ward level Student-assisted map of water resources at ward level Important for information and local solidarity Important for information and local solidarity

ANSWERING QUESTION 1 Who are the water users? The exercise in THREE wards in Shashe produced the following categories of water users: Makwe: Primary users (domestic, brickmakers, livestock owners), Irrigators, miners (large scale and panners) Hwabayi: Primary users (domestic, brickmakers, builders, businesses, livestock owners), irrigators Guyu: Primary users (domestic, gardeners, livestock owners, schools, businesses, Police, Army) irrigators

ANSWERING QUESTION 1 Who are the stakeholders? Categories of stakeholders across the wards Primary water users Primary water users Irrigators Irrigators Miners Miners Others Others Rainfed farmers were mentioned but considered not to warrant a separate group In what way are these different from the existing categories as captured by the top down approach?

ANSWERING QUESTION 1 Who are the stakeholders? Rural District Councils. Rural District Councils. Communal Farmers. Communal Farmers. Resettlement Farmers. Resettlement Farmers. Small scale commercial farmers. Small scale commercial farmers. Large scale commercial farmers. Large scale commercial farmers. Indigenous commercial farmers. Indigenous commercial farmers. Urban authorities. Urban authorities. Large scale mines. Large scale mines. Small scale mines. Small scale mines. Industry and any other stakeholder group the SCC may identify Industry and any other stakeholder group the SCC may identify THIS LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS WAS CONSIDERED TO BE OUT OF DATE

ANSWERING QUESTION 2 How best to represent stakeholders? Options Current system as spelt out by statutory instrument – not known and unsuitable Current system as spelt out by statutory instrument – not known and unsuitable Existing water points committees –rejected as ineffective Existing water points committees –rejected as ineffective Traditional leaders - not welcome unless elected Traditional leaders - not welcome unless elected Ward political councillors - not wanted Ward political councillors - not wanted Dedicated water institution above water points committees Dedicated water institution above water points committees Representation by villages or ward? Representation by villages or ward?

ANSWERING QUESTION 2 How best to represent stakeholders? ‘Village’ was too small/unsuitable ‘Village’ was too small/unsuitable Ward - most appropriate as it is the most common social organising principle Ward - most appropriate as it is the most common social organising principle Therefore form a Ward Water Users Association (WWA). Therefore form a Ward Water Users Association (WWA). WWA can be seen an extension of activities of what happens at a ward e.g. food distribution, elections, etc & hence is not a new institution WWA can be seen an extension of activities of what happens at a ward e.g. food distribution, elections, etc & hence is not a new institution

ANSWERING QUESTION 2 Constituting a Ward Water Users Committee Effective Ward Water Users Committee means a) Deciding on composition of the committee: Base on agreed categories of stakeholders Base on agreed categories of stakeholders Recall the following: Recall the following: Primary users, irrigators, miners, others Therefore at minimum have 3 members per ward according to main stakeholder groups Therefore at minimum have 3 members per ward according to main stakeholder groups

ANSWERING QUESTION 3 Representation at subcatchment council level Committee can incorporate other stakeholders e.g. traditional leaders, ward councillor, local NGOs etc with no voting rights. Committee can incorporate other stakeholders e.g. traditional leaders, ward councillor, local NGOs etc with no voting rights. i) Subcatchment council accommodates 15 members and yet there are 72 wards in Shashe subcatchment (216 ward representatives is unworkable) ii) Solution is to base representation on district (Shashe has 4 districts –let each of the 3 stakeholder group be represented = 12 ward representatives in subcatchment council iii) Ward representatives in a district are an electoral college (or body of people who elect representatives from among themselves)

ANSWERING QUESTION 3 Representation at subcatchment council level Remaining three slots can be occupied by other interests e.g. commercial farmers, large scale miners, town councils, tourist operator Remaining three slots can be occupied by other interests e.g. commercial farmers, large scale miners, town councils, tourist operator The process did not go beyond the subcatchment level partly because The process did not go beyond the subcatchment level partly because * everyone was tired. * It was not unclear whether local people would want to engage

ANSWERING QUESTION 3 Representation –Extrapolation to other subcatchments Upper Mzingwane has 51 wards and 3 districts Lower Mzingwane has 39 wards and 3 districts Mwenezi has 54 wards and 4 districts This means that ward representation will not be a problem – there is no subcatchment bigger than the Shashe.

ANSWERING QUESTION 3 Representation at catchment council The meeting of subcatchment and catchment councilors convened in Bulawayo resolved the following: -it endorsed the formation of Ward Water Users Associations -agreed with the election procedures at ward and district level -Current practice of four subcatchment council going to sit at the catchment council should be maintained. -Current practice of four subcatchment council going to sit at the catchment council should be maintained.

ANSWERING QUESTION 3 Representation at the basin level Direct representation at basin level institution e.g. LBPTC/LIMCOM) through the Chairman of Mzingwane Catchment Council (is this possible because countries can bring in advisors?) was strongly recommendedDirect representation at basin level institution e.g. LBPTC/LIMCOM) through the Chairman of Mzingwane Catchment Council (is this possible because countries can bring in advisors?) was strongly recommended Insisted on transparency and accountability e.g. government representatives should consult and provide feedback of what happens at the basinInsisted on transparency and accountability e.g. government representatives should consult and provide feedback of what happens at the basin Basin forum that includes users from all four riparian countries?Basin forum that includes users from all four riparian countries?

New organogram Basin Forum ? CATCHMENT COUNCIL 16 MEMBERS SUB- CATCHMENT COUNCIL 15 MEMBERS Ward Water User Association District Water Users Forum 4 NO. SCC 4 Members of each SCC in CC

Conclusions Conceptual issues In developing a model Start with local water needs –not revenue collection or water resource management Find common ground Rely on most appropriate existing institutions and seek to strengthen them -a new broom does not always sweep clean! Socio-political boundaries should not be ignored –seek to create complementarities with hydrologically-based institutions Do not assume the traditional level is best –the ward with no traditional heritage emerged as the best platform

Conclusions Conceptual issues Avoid over -aggregation where relevant details are lost e.g. stakeholders identified by the government Avoid atomisation syndrome where local unviable institutions (for narrow purposes) are promoted Model should be platform for general local water management issues Model should be development platform (e.g. in Zim wards are required to produce development plans) Model to deepen democracy?

Conclusions The future The model was not tested The model was not tested Therefore model needs to be carried to implementation Therefore model needs to be carried to implementation –In Shashe –in other subcatchments in Mzingwane –Compared to Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa –Lessons learnt disseminated to other river basins