121 CHAPTER 14 PROVINCIAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PART 1 PRELIMINARY 14.1 Devolution of governmental powers and responsibilities (1) Whenever appropriate, governmental powers and responsibilities must be devolved to provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities which are competent to carry out those responsibilities efficiently and effectively. (2) The objects of the devolution of governmental powers and responsibilities to provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities are— (a) to give powers of local governance to the people and enhance their participation in the exercise of the powers of the State and in making decisions affecting them; (b) to promote democratic, effective, transparent, accountable and coherent government of Zimbabwe as a whole; (c) to preserve and foster the peace, national unity and indivisibility of Zimbabwe; (d) to recognise the right of communities to manage their own affairs and to further their development; (e) to ensure the equitable sharing of local and national resources; and (f) to transfer responsibilities and resources from the national government in order to establish a sound financial base for each provincial and metropolitan council and local authority. 14.2 General principles of provincial and local government (1) Provincial and metropolitan councils and local authorities must, within their spheres— (a) ensure good governance by being effective, transparent, accountable and institutionally coherent; (b) assume only those functions conferred on them by this Constitution or an Act of Parliament; (c) exercise their functions in a manner that does not encroach on the geographical, functional or institutional integrity of another tier of government; (d) co-operate with one another, in particular by— (i) informing one another of, and consulting one another on, matters of common interest; (ii) harmonising and co-ordinating their activities; (e) preserve the peace, national unity and indivisibility of Zimbabwe; (f) secure the public welfare; and