Press Statement on the Chitungwiza Town Council's proposed rate increases for the 2015-16 budget.
On behalf of Chitungwiza residents, the Chitungwiza Progressive Residents Association (CHIPRA) strongly rejects a proposal made by Management at Chitungwiza Town Council to increase water rates (from 0.53c to 0.83c per kilolitre) and add a new road levy (of 0.50c per housing unit) for the Town Council's budget for 2016-2017.
The mooted rate increases are unacceptable as they will further burden the long suffering ratepayers and deepen poverty at household level, coming against the backdrop of an underperforming Zimbabwean economy and widespread unemployment in the town.
While acknowledging the difficult financial situation at Chitungwiza Town Council, CHIPRA feels that Management should be strive to do more with the limited resources at its disposal through judicious financial management and streamlining of operations to increase efficiency in service delivery.
We call on the Town Clerk and his Management team to desist from trying to clandestinely smuggle these unsustainable rate increments into the 2016-2017 budget under the guise of 'token' budget consultation meetings which are hastily organised and poorly publicised, thereby denying residents a platform to meaningfully participate in the their town's budgeting cycle process.
In this regard, CHIPRA calls on the Town Clerk and his Management team to organise proper ward-based budget consultative meetings that are publicised in advanced.
CHIPRA demands transparency and accountability in the management of financial affairs of Chitungwiza! The political and administrative leadership at Chitungwiza Town Council have a duty to empower residents to partake in the governance of their town by revealing the details of its financial situation which will enable residents to make informed contributions.
CHIPRA is convinced that without details such as the Town's expenditure on major cost categories such as the monthly salary bill, financial obligations to service providers such as ZINWA, revenue sources and projections- It is an exercise in futility to expect residents to make informed contributions and effectively participate in the budget making processes. We therefore demand an Independent Audit of the town's finances whose report will be shared with residents and other stakeholders in Chitungwiza's local governance matrix as a starting point of the town's 2016-2017 budget cycle.
Information is power and ' Kusaziva kufa'; As a bonafide representative of the people of Chitungwiza, CHIPRA will not endorse a budget drafted without informed residents' input i.e an audit report and other key details of the town's finances!
If Management at Chitungwiza continue to withhold financial information from stakeholders, CHIPRA will lobby the Minister of Local government to reject the product of a flawed budgeting process when the town's budget is placed before him for approval.
NO Audit- NO Budget!
