Mutare goes for broke on road maintenance

Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
INDUSTRIAL and commercial property owners in Mutare will face a significant increase of over 500 percent in monthly road maintenance and repair tariffs under the newly approved Mutare City Council budget for 2025.
A single industrial property will now pay up to US$226, a substantial rise from US$11,91.
Individual residential property owners will also be affected by the new budget tariffs for road maintenance and repair works.
High-density property owners will see an increase from US$1,19 to US$1,26, while low-density property owners will face a rise from US$2,39 to US$9,16.
This development is expected to enable the local authority to maintain and repair up to 7,5km of the city’s road network, a significant improvement from the 1,5km managed under the previous road tariffs regime.
Notably, Mutare’s road network deteriorates by approximately 25km annually.
Motorists in Mutare have faced significant economic burdens and safety risks navigating untrafficable roads, particularly after the recent heavy rains.
Presenting a post-budget report, Mutare City Council Town Clerk, Mr Blessing Chafesuka said: “We damage over 25km of roads annually, but only manage to reclaim 1,5km using resources from ZINARA and other sources. This gap is alarming, leading to road deterioration.
“The increased road maintenance tariffs aim to address this issue. High-density suburb property owners will pay US$1,26 (up from US$1,19), low-density owners US$9,16 (up from US$2,39), commercial properties US$51 (up from US$11,91), and industrial properties US$226 (up from US$11,91),” he said.
While acknowledging the steep increase, Mr Chafesuka emphasised that local intervention is necessary, as no external entity will repair the roads.
The tariff increase, though significant, is still insufficient to address the issue.
Mr Chafesuka urged Mutare ratepayers to understand the latest move to increase road maintenance tariffs.
“We expect to improve from 1,5km to around 7km, but note that our roads deteriorate by 25km annually, so it is still insufficient. We urge our ratepayers to understand this, as over 70 percent accepted the proposal.
“I look forward to everyone’s support, including those who didn’t participate in the budget-making process. I sincerely request ratepayers to support this new direction. Without funding, residents cannot expect road maintenance or repairs. I aim to account for the pledged 7,5km when we review the budget, but that requires adequate funding,” he said.