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The Zimbabwean government has introduced a new digital tool that gives citizens the power to grade their local councils online. Launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the platform shifts municipal accountability directly to the people, mandating that public ratings make up more than 40 percent of every local authority’s official performance score.
For the average Zimbabwean tired of uncollected garbage, dry taps, and potholed roads, this development means local authorities can no longer rely solely on boardroom paperwork to pretend they are doing a good job. The Citizen Engagement and Scoring Platform ensures that a council’s official performance grade is tied directly to the real-world, everyday experiences of the people it is supposed to serve.
Speaking during the launch, President Emmerson Mnangagwa emphasised that the initiative represented more than just a technological upgrade. He described the system as a major advancement for national democracy and civic participation, noting that it is designed to force both urban and rural local councils to be much more accountable and responsive to the needs of the public.
Developed by LADS Africa, a homegrown technology startup incubated at the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT), the system is designed to be highly accessible. Residents will receive a link allowing them to answer a 24-question survey via the internet or a simple text chatbot.
Zimbabweans will be able to rate your council across eight key daily services:
• Water supply and sanitation
• Trash collection (solid waste management)
• Roads and public lighting
• Public health and housing
• Corporate governance (council management)
To address any privacy concerns, the Ministry of Local Government confirmed that all citizen feedback will be kept securely on local government-run servers.
The platform is meant to not just be a digital suggestion box, it is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) that actively diagnoses problems. During a live demonstration at the launch, the audience tested the app by rating the Harare City Council. The results were telling. While trash collection scored a decent 83 percent, water supply and sanitation failed miserably, scoring just 45 percent and 44 percent.
Instantly, the built-in AI flagged Harare’s poor water quality as a systemic issue. Instead of just recording the complaint, the system boldly recommended that the city look into privatising its water management and outsourcing water treatment to fix the crisis.
Moving forward, the government will legally set new service targets for all councils every September. Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe issued a stern warning that this new system is part of a zero-compromise agenda against poor service, land barons, and shady backroom deals.
By putting the grading pen directly in the hands of the public, this platform offers everyday citizens a powerful, official voice to demand the service delivery they pay for.
However, the question is, will the people make use of the platform and will the government have the political will to enforce these citizen-driven scores and discipline failing authorities, or will this system eventually become just a high-tech suggestion box that bureaucrats simply learn to ignore?
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