Chronicle Editor
Michael Magoronga, [email protected]
KWEKWE City Council has started engagements with stakeholders mainly the business community over the local authority’s intentions to introduce a road levy.
The local authority is contemplating introducing a road levy that will help the council to raise about US$6million to rehabilitate the city’s road network, which is in bad condition.
The levy, according to the council, will be introduced to the business community first to enable the rehabilitation of the central business district and industrial area roads before being rolled out to the rest of the ratepayers.
The stakeholders who included banks, business community, companies and property owners, unanimously consented to the idea and quickly formed a committee that will work with council to spearhead the implementation of the idea.
Some companies have pledged to chip in with other required material needed for the road repairs like tar, equipment and other equipment. Director of Works, Engineer John Mhike, told the stakeholders that although the council is receiving funds from Zinara and devolution funds, they were not enough to carry out the work required.
“These funds are not sufficient to repair the roads and in most cases they come in trickles, which makes it difficult to use them effectively,” he said.
“The little that we have been getting has been channelled towards pothole patching. But the roads are so damaged that they require long-term solutions like resealing and some even reconstruction, which requires intensive funding,” said Eng Mhike.
He said for the city centre alone require about US$1,5 million, industrial area needs about US$4million while the Mbizo commercial area requires about US$600 000 for the repairs of the roads.
“We then decided to approach you as our stakeholders so that you assist in raising these funds. The money will be paid per month with options to pay after every six months or 12 months periods.
“According to calculations, each property should pay an average of US$500 per month and it could be less or more depending on location,” he said.
Mayor, Councillor Albert Zinhanga, said the meeting was the beginning of a process, which will also see other ratepayers being engaged over the same issue. “This is the beginning of a process to try and improve our road networks because there is no one who will do it for us,” he said.
“The process will begin with the CBD and industrial before moving to the residential areas. We are doing this because people have been complaining about the state of our road network and this is a way of rehabilitating them,” said Clr Zinhanga.
The Second Republic has emphasised the need to revamp infrastructure across the country including roads, which are a key attraction to investors.
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