Chronicle Editor
Midlands Bureau
GWERU residents have rejected the city council’s proposed roads levy saying it is a burden given that the council recently hiked its rates and service charges following the approval by Government of its $2,9 billion budget for this year.
Gweru mayor, Councillor Josiah Makombe recently announced that the local authority was considering effecting a roads levy to raise money to rehabilitate the city’s roads.
He said when the 2021 budget was crafted last year, council did not anticipate heavy rains that destroyed the city’s road network.
Residents however, said they were already struggling to pay the increased rates and service charges which came into effect in January.
“If you analyse the budget which the Government recently approved, a low-density resident is now supposed to pay at least $11 000 in rates and service charges a month so to then part with another sum of money as a roads levy will be a huge burden on us. We are already struggling to pay what is due,” said Mr Douglas Nyoni.
He said the local authority should use part of what the residents are paying in rates and service charges to fund the roads rehabilitation programme.
‘It’s the council’s duty to fix the roads so when they crafted the budget, it’s surprising they did not provide for the rehabilitation of the roads,” he said.
Another resident, Mrs Melody Ngirandi said the local authority should wait for an allocation from Government since Government has declared the country’s road network a state of disaster and is mobilising resources to rehabilitate the roads including those in urban areas.
“They should not burden us, the Government recently announced that it was taking over the rehabilitation of roads after they were declared a state of disaster.
“There is therefore no need for us to be charged more. The local authority should instead focus on addressing the water situation in the city. We have not been getting water in Mkoba 19 for the last three months and I think water is more precious than anything,” she said.
Mr Amos Musana said the city fathers should work on improving people’s lives through efficient service delivery instead of just introducing new levies that are not commensurate with service delivery.
Online Reporter