Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>In Zimbabwe, the effectiveness of community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) after devolution is challenged by on-going operational issues. Although devolution aimed to empower local entities, structural, financial, and governance problems have limited its implementation, undermining resilience and hindering CBDRR. This qualitative study used an interpretivist approach to investigate structural obstacles to devolution and their impact on sustainable CBDRR in Zimbabwe’s Sanyati district, exploring strategies to improve community resilience. Forty key informant interviews revealed that financial scarcity, political interference, weak institutional capacity, and limited community participation constrained CBDRR in the post-devolution framework. Insufficient central government funding limits the local government’s ability to implement effective measures. Despite devolution policies, political dynamics centralise decision-making, restricting local autonomy. Institutional weaknesses, such as a lack of technical knowledge, impede disaster management. Community participation is uneven, often limited to consultation to the central government. These challenges highlight a gap between the implementation of intended and actual devolution. The study concludes that strengthening CBDRR requires fiscal decentralisation, robust political institutions, and multi-stakeholder engagement. Stakeholders should advocate for policy and governance reforms that promote resilience and integrate ecological and economic considerations to ensure that CBDRR contributes to sustainable resilience in Zimbabwe.</p>