constituteproject.org PDF generated: 26 Sep 2013, 21:48 275 Local authorities for rural areas (1) There are rural local authorities, established in accordance with this section, to represent and manage the affairs of people in rural areas. (2) An Act of Parliament must provide for-(a) the establishment of rural local authorities; (b) the election, by registered voters in the rural areas concerned, of councils to manage the affairs of the local authorities referred to in paragraph (a); (c) the election of chairpersons, by whatever title they may be called, to preside over the councils referred to in paragraph (b); and (d) the qualifications of members of the councils referred to in paragraph (b). (3) Different classes of local authorities may be established for different rural areas, and two or more different areas may be placed under the management of a single local authority. 276 Functions of local authorities (1) Subject to this Constitution and any Act of Parliament, a local authority has the right to govern, on its own initiative, the local affairs of the people within the area for which it has been established, and has all the powers necessary for it to do so. (2) An Act of Parliament may confer functions on local authorities, including-(a) a power to make by-laws, regulations or rules for the effective administration of the areas for which they have been established; (b) a power to levy rates and taxes and generally to raise sufficient revenue for them to carry out their objects and responsibilities. 277 Elections to local authorities (1) Elections of councillors of local authorities must be held-(a) in the case of a general election of mayors and councillors, concurrently with a general election of Members of Parliament and President; (b) in the case of an election, other than a general election, to fill one or more casual vacancies, as soon as practicable after the vacancies have occurred. (2) Elections of mayors and chairpersons of local authorities, other than mayors or chairpersons on whom executive powers have been conferred under section 274(5), must be held at the first sitting of the councils concerned following a general election. (3) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2) or an Act of Parliament, mayors, chairpersons and councillors of local authorities assume office on the ninth day after the announcement of the results of the general election in which the councillors were elected. Zimbabwe 2013 Page 117