Chronicle Editor
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
THE Government has disbursed about $42 million to local authorities in Midlands Province from the $310 million purse that was set aside as devolution fund.
Addressing stakeholders during a devolution meeting in Gweru on Friday, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo said all the 102 local authorities in the country had already received their allocations. Minister Moyo said $75 million of the $310 million had been allocated to provincial councils.
He said the local authorities and municipalities should also come up with three-year plans on how to utilise the funds.
Minister Moyo warned provincial councils, local authorities and municipalities against abusing the funds.
“I would want to announce what has been allocated to each and every local authority in the province.
Budget is well and always plans ahead. I urge you to have a three-year plan of how to utilise these funds.
For instance there are so many wards under your jurisdictions and you might not do everything in a year or with the same budget allocation. This is because this money is coming into perpetuity because the five percent is permanent because it is constitutional.
“In our first meeting of the new dispensation President Emmerson Mnangagwa said to the Minister of Finance I wanted this five percent to be implemented. From the five percent we have allocated $310 million to all the local authorities. So we then allocated $75 million to the provincial councils.
Chirumhanzu got $1,675 million, Gokwe North $1,441 million, Gokwe South $2,238 million, Vungu $1,456 million, Zibagwe $2,173 million, Mberengwa $1,322 million, Tongogara $2,493 million, Runde $2,821, Gweru City $3,4 million, Kwekwe $4,1, Redcliff $4,8 million, Zvishavane $4,8, Gokwe Town Council $4,7, Shurugwi Town $4,8.”
Minister Moyo said the provincial council will be operational and will be able to make ordinances that are legally binding with their respective provinces. Minister Moyo also warned land barons who were developing residential stands and short-changing desperate home seekers. He said the Government would soon descend on them.
“Now that we have a budget there is nothing that stops the ministers, the provincial councils to prepare seriously about the work output that needs to be done so that the money can be well spent. There are some people who are just building houses on undesignated places without the knowledge of council. This is rampant in urban areas.
For instance here in Gweru near MSU there is a housing scheme which ended up allocating people land in the river and other wetlands. We can’t allow that. In Midlands Province this has been happening in Shurugwi, Gokwe, Zvishavane and many other towns. Those who did that will be dealt with. That is why there is a commission,” he said.
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