Cabinet has approved the Municipal Police and Courts Bill, 2026, paving the way for local authorities to set up dedicated municipal police services and municipal courts to enforce by-laws, Information Minister Hon. Zhemu Soda announced this week.
Briefing journalists after the weekly Cabinet meeting in Harare, Soda said the bill was presented by Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, in his capacity as chairperson of the Cabinet Committee on Legislation.
Soda explained that under the Urban Councils Act and the Rural District Councils Act, local authorities already have the mandate to formulate and enforce regulations within their jurisdiction. He said stronger, coordinated enforcement structures were needed to improve governance, service delivery, and access to justice, including powers to apprehend, investigate, and prosecute by-law offenders.
The bill will give municipalities a legal framework to establish professional police services focused on community safety, bylaw enforcement, traffic management, and local crime prevention. It also provides for municipal courts with jurisdiction over bylaw violations, minor offenses, and traffic infringements and for the appointment of municipal magistrates.
According to Hon Soda, the reforms are designed to strengthen local governance in line with constitutional devolution principles and to improve public safety and environmental management.