Vusumuzi Dube [email protected]
GOVERNMENT has banned foreign trips by all local authorities with outstanding salary arrears and statutory obligations and the same councils face further restrictions on workshops, conferences and the purchase of vehicles for personal allocation to senior officials.
The measures, which take immediate effect, are aimed at compelling local authorities to prioritise workers’ salaries and statutory obligations over non-essential expenditure amid concerns over mounting liabilities and their impact on service delivery.
In a Local Authorities’ Circular Number 9 of 2026, dated October 20, the Permanent Secretary for Local Government and Public Works, Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti, directed town clerks, town secretaries and chief executive officers to exercise financial discipline and ensure that public funds are channelled towards essential obligations.
The directive comes amid concerns over local authorities accumulating salary arrears spanning several months, a situation the ministry says is affecting workers’ welfare, staff morale, productivity and the delivery of essential services.
“The ministry has noted with serious concern that some local authorities have accumulated salary arrears spanning several months, together with outstanding statutory obligations,” said Eng Muguti.
“This situation is unacceptable, as it adversely affects the welfare and livelihoods of employees, undermines staff morale, compromises productivity and ultimately impairs the capacity of local authorities to deliver essential services to residents.”
The directive comes against the backdrop of service delivery challenges in some local authorities as a result of weaknesses in revenue collection, debt recovery and general mismanagement of public resources. In its 2023 report on local authorities, the Office of the Auditor-General raised concerns about revenue collection and debt recovery, including incomplete revenue databases, inadequate automation and billing weaknesses that contributed to councils losing potential income. The report also highlighted service delivery challenges, with water, sewerage and waste management infrastructure in some areas failing to keep pace with population growth.
The ministry said councils must exercise prudent financial management, improve revenue collection and control expenditure to ensure available resources are channelled towards the local authorities’ core obligations.
Under the directive, officials of local authorities with outstanding salary arrears will not be permitted to undertake foreign trips. What this means is that requests for travel authorisation will not be favourably considered as long as salary obligations remain outstanding.
Councils in arrears have also been barred from conducting workshops, retreats, conferences and similar activities outside their respective areas of jurisdiction.
Where such activities are necessary, they must be held within the local authority’s jurisdiction, subject to budget availability and demonstrable operational need.
The circular further prohibits local authorities with outstanding salary arrears or statutory obligations from purchasing vehicles intended for personal allocation, personal issue or allocated to senior managers as a condition of service.
The restriction will remain in force until salary arrears have been cleared and outstanding statutory obligations fully settled.
The Government has however made an exception for vehicles and capital equipment required for essential service delivery and critical infrastructure operations.
“Notwithstanding the foregoing restrictions, local authorities with salary and statutory obligation arrears may procure vehicles and capital equipment strictly required for essential service delivery and critical infrastructure operations.
“Such purchases must be demonstrably necessary, adequately justified, provided for in approved budgets and undertaken in compliance with applicable procurement legislation and procedures.
They must not compromise the settlement of outstanding salaries and statutory obligations,” reads the circular.
The ministry has also directed affected local authorities to prepare and implement time-bound financial recovery plans outlining their liabilities, revenue-enhancement measures, expenditure controls, payment schedules and deadlines for clearing arrears.
The plans are expected to provide a clear roadmap for addressing outstanding obligations while improving councils’ financial sustainability.
“Town clerks, town secretaries, chief executive officers and other accounting officers are expected to exercise firm financial discipline and ensure that expenditure decisions are consistent with the financial position and statutory responsibilities of their respective institutions,” read the circular.
Councils will be required to provide regular updates on the implementation of their recovery plans, with the ministry expected to communicate reporting timelines.
“These plans should clearly indicate the total outstanding liabilities, the measures to be implemented to improve revenue collection and expenditure control, the proposed settlement schedules and the timelines for clearing the arrears,” read the circular.
Eng Muguti said Government will monitor compliance and can take appropriate administrative measures within its statutory mandate against local authorities that fail to adhere to the directives.
“The measures are intended to promote financial discipline, protect the welfare of employees, safeguard statutory compliance, and ensure that public resources are prioritised towards essential service delivery rather than non-essential travel, workshops and personal benefits,” reads the circular.
