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Midlands Correspondent
Government has approved Kwekwe City Council’s $26,9 million budget for 2019 which proposed a 100 percent increase in water and sewer tariffs.
The tariff increases saw the budget increasing from $26,3 million in 2018 to $26,9 million.
Kwekwe mayor Councillor Angeline Kasipo confirmed that the budget was approved after some minor adjustments.
“Government approved our budget of $26,9 million and we are now moving to the next stage,” he said. “There are, however, some minor adjustments here and there that will be done before the budget is taken before council for adoption.”
In a recent full council meeting, Cllr Kasipo said the local authority would stick to the figures and would propose a supplementary budget if the need arises.
“As of now we are going to work with the figures as approved by Government, but given the economic situation, we are not ruling out the possibility of coming up with a supplementary budget,” she said.
Meanwhile, residents have castigated the local authority for side-lining them in the budget processes.
Kwekwe Residents and Ratepayers Association (KKRRA) secretary general Mr Alex Homela said council did consult residents on the tariff hikes and for not availing the document for scrutiny by the residents as required.
“We feel council is doing its own thing that does not involve residents as required. We asked for the document before it was sent for approval but they told us we had no right to see it,” said Mr Homela.
He said they were petitioning relevant ministers over the matter.
“We are going to write to the Minister of Local Government (Hon July Moyo) and Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister, (Hon Larry Mavima) asking for their intervention because council did not involve us,” said Mr Homela.
Online Reporter