Local authorities have warned Vice-President Constantino
Chiwenga against inciting residents to boycott paying rates, saying his recent
call for a rates boycott was “reckless and retrogressive”.
Outgoing Harare mayor and president of the Urban Councils’
Association (Ucaz), Bernard Manyenyeni said Chiwenga should concentrate on
solving national problems than dabble in council matters.
“The responsibility to determine a waiver on payment of
service delivery is the sole responsibility of those who fulfil it. It is being
reckless for a central government official to advocate for such when they
themselves are not being accountable with the taxes they are in charge of. People
must pay for service delivery and hold the local authorities accountable for
their money. I think whoever is advocating for that needs to re-examine his
mind and be serious,” Manyenyeni said.
“Each layer of government should thrive to complement the
other and not to sabotage the works of the other. As local government sector,
we have a duty and we can only perform when people are paying. Just like
central government, it can only perform when taxes are paid. So such a wish,
whether populist or just reckless, should be ignored by right-thinking
Zimbabweans.”
Addressing a Zanu PF campaign rally in Hatcliffe recently,
Chiwenga said council should stop forthwith the collection of rates from areas
they were failing to collect refuse, supply water and provide sewer
reticulation services.
This came as councils have accused ratepayers of
accumulating in excess of $1,5 billion in unpaid rates, thereby stifling
service delivery in most urban areas.
Most local authorities are yet to recover losses incurred
in 2013 when former President Robert Mugabe’s government unilaterally ordered a
debt write-off as a vote-buying gimmick which saw Harare alone, losing close to
$166 million in potential revenue.
Manyenyeni said mayors and town clerks under the Ucaz body,
were exploring ways to make residents pay their bills and this included
discounts to consistent ratepayers. Newsday
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