The Council conducted town-wide consultations for the 2025 budget on Saturday, with seven teams deployed to engage different areas of the town. These consultations are a critical part of the council’s efforts to ensure transparent and inclusive planning for the upcoming financial year.
Speaking through statements read by team leaders, Chitungwiza Finance Director, Mrs. Machona, urged stakeholders to prioritize paying their bills to enable the council to continue its essential services. “We encourage our ratepayers to pay their bills timeously so that the council is able to finance its operations,” said Machona.
2024 Budget Highlights and Challenges
The council presented several key points from the 2024 budget, shedding light on the financial challenges it faces:
- Operational Funding: The council requires adequate funding to maintain various operational activities across the town.
- US Dollar-Based Budgeting: To protect the budget from fluctuations in the macroeconomic environment, the council has pegged its budget in US dollars, but payments can be made at the prevailing exchange rate in Zimbabwean dollars.
- Dual Pricing System: In compliance with Statutory Instrument 85 of 2020, Chitungwiza uses a dual pricing model, where rates and rents are pegged in USD but can be paid in either US dollars or the Zimbabwean dollar equivalent at the current exchange rate.
- Payment Delays Affect Service Delivery: The council expressed concern over the growing number of debtors not paying bills on time, which has negatively impacted the municipality’s ability to deliver essential services.
The council’s budget consultations aim to engage the community while addressing the town’s financial needs and ensuring that residents understand the importance of timely payments for sustainable service delivery.
