Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau
GWERU residents have been urged to demonstrate civic responsibility by settling their outstanding bills, amid a staggering ZWG700 million debt owed to the local authority.
The alarming figure, which has increased by over ZWG150 million in just two months, is reportedly crippling the local authority’s ability to provide essential services.
As the city struggles to manage the financial burden, the local authority has called upon the residents to settle their debts and consider flexible payment plans to help improve service delivery.
In an interview with Zimpapers, Gweru City Council assistant finance director, Mr Owen Masimba, said the council’s predicament has sparked a renewed call for collective responsibility and patriotism, recognising the critical role that ratepayers play in sustaining the city’s operations.
“Gweru ratepayers owe council a staggering ZWG700 million in unpaid bills as of June 30, 2025, an increase of more than ZWG150 million in just two months. The ballooning debt is crippling the local authority’s ability to provide essential services, a situation that now calls for both patriotism and collective responsibility,” he said.
Mr Masimba noted that the largest defaulters include domestic high-density suburbs, owing ZWG194 million; Government departments, owing ZWG121 million; and commercial entities, owing ZWG99 million.
He said while the city acknowledges the economic hardships faced by residents, service delivery cannot improve unless obligations are honoured.
Mr Masimba encouraged those in arrears to commit to flexible payment plans and commended households and businesses that consistently pay on time.
“Without adequate revenue, we cannot maintain infrastructure, expand services, or address the pressing needs of our residents,” he said.
He added that the city may be forced to take drastic measures, including attaching properties of chronic defaulters, if the situation persists.
Mr Masimba noted that this challenge arises at a critical time when the country is transitioning from the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) into the forthcoming NDS2, which will guide Zimbabwe’s economic blueprint beginning with the 2026 National Budget.
“The Government has already laid the roadmap through NDS1, and NDS2 will build upon that foundation. It is now up to us, as the City of Gweru, as residents, and as stakeholders, to walk the talk and implement these initiatives wholeheartedly,” Mr Masimba said.
The proliferation of debtors, if left unchecked, threatens to derail progress at both local and national levels. As Zimbabwe marches toward the aspirations of Vision 2030, paying municipal bills on time is more than a civic duty — it is a patriotic act that ensures communities develop in step with the national agenda.
Bongani Ndlovu