Online Reporter
Nokuthula Dube
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) remains the only local authority that has failed to submit its 2025 budget for approval by the Government owing to ongoing disputes with residents and the local business community over controversial tariff adjustments.
BCC was directed to revise its proposed budget after widespread criticism of its tariff calculations, which businesses and residents deemed exorbitant.
The tariffs were reportedly based on an incorrect formula used to index 2022 and 2023 rates to the US dollar under Statutory Instrument 51 of 2022.
The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), Matabeleland chamber, accused BCC of misapplying the regulation, leading to inflated charges that forced some businesses to scale back operations or relocate to other cities.
Responding to questions from The Sunday Mail, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe said: “Out of 92 local authorities in Zimbabwe, 91 successfully submitted their budgets for approval to the ministry.
“Only Bulawayo City Council has not submitted its budget because there are some processes they are still pursuing following contestations by the local business community.”
In September 2024, BCC had proposed a US$309 million budget focusing on service delivery and revitalisation of recreational facilities.
However, the Government did not approve the budget, citing concerns from the business community.
In response, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works convened a crisis meeting in early December chaired by Ms Priscillar Mudzinge, the ministry’s director of local authorities inspectorate.
It was attended by stakeholders from CZI, the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) and residents’ associations.
The meeting resolved to establish a budget review committee, comprising representatives from industry, residents, the tourism sector and tertiary institutions.
It was tasked with revising the budget within a week.
However, the process has faced significant hurdles.
Following a progress review meeting on December 30, Mr Ndlovu revealed to our sister publication The Chronicle that, while a technical team of experts was engaged to analyse the council’s financials, budgets and tariffs, the council’s failure to provide critical information stalled the process.
Meanwhile, Minister Garwe said assessment of budgets submitted by the other 91 local authorities was ongoing.
“The budget proposals are now being scrutinised by the minister and we will announce the results in due course,” he said.
“So far, the ministry has conducted reviews for all the submitted budgets and made recommendations to the minister.
“The reviews were conducted at provincial levels.
“The local authorities were divided as follows: Manicaland; Mashonaland West; Masvingo; Midlands; and Harare and Chitungwiza.
“Ruwa and Epworth reviews were conducted in Kadoma, while Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central reviews were conducted in Goromonzi.
“Building on last year’s processes, the reviews involved the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works; the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, through various tertiary education institutions, and also LADS (Local Authorities Database System) from HIT (Harare Institute of Technology).”
