Andrew
BINDURA municipality said on Wednesday it was owed more than $300 million by residents in unpaid service bills.
In an interview, Bindura Mayor Brian Kembo, said the debt goes as far back as 2018.
“This is denting our service provision efficiency since we do not have funds to buy some of the needed resources, and to pay the providers,” he said.
“We are therefore appealing to residents to pay up their bills and on time so that they will also get their entitled services efficiently.”
Owing to this, the municipality has been unable to offer critical services such as refuse collection, forcing residents to pile garbage at undesignated points around the town.
Mayor Kembo said the municipality was planning to meet leaders of residents’ associations to use their influence to get residents to pay rates.
However, Residents Association of Bindura secretary general, Mr Joel Mandundu, said the municipality first needed to show commitment to its responsibilities to convince people to pay up.
“They haven’t approached us yet, and even if they are to approach us, I do not think l will have room to entertain them,” he said.
“They must just show some efforts towards bringing services to rate payers rather than (allegedly) steal from them and always complain about money. What have they used devolution funds for?” he asked.
Roads in most suburbs, mainly in the high-density areas, are in a state of disrepair in addition to uncollected garbage.
Yet councillors and management are thought to have given themselves hefty salaries, gobbling up the little that flowed into municipal coffers. – New Ziana
Tinaye Agere
Online Reporter