The Influence of Intra Party Politics on Service Delivery in Local Authorities in Zimbabwe

This study sought to investigate the influence of the twin-problem of political interference and politicization of local government on local authorities’ ability to deliver services to their residents. To this end, a sample of ninety-eight (98) respondents comprising 42 residents, 42 councillors, seven (7) council officials and seven (7) local government officials in the Manicaland Province of Zimbabwe, were selected by convenience sampling, simple random sampling and purposive sampling methods. The major findings of this study were that: party politics had no effect on service delivery; Political parties do not openly discourage payment of rates to councils, but at the same time they do not always actively encourage payment of the same; and Councils’ political impartiality in the discharge of services to the public is being questioned. The study also recommends that: political parties in Zimbabwe should actively support rural development by actively encouraging ratepayers to pay their dues to councils; and there is need for research on the feasibility of a non-party system of local government in Zimbabwe.