Harare proposes US$ half a billion 2024 budget

Harare (New Ziana) – The Harare City Council has proposed a budget of US$578 548 900 for 2024 dominated by water and sanitation at a time the local authority is grappling with a cholera outbreak which has hit the country.

Made up of US$135 994 300 capital expenditure and US$442 554 600 for recurrent expenditure, the budget was presented to a session of the full council on Thursday by councillor Costa Mande who chairs the Finance and Development Committee.

The budget will be funded through US$91 182 300 from the local authority’s coffers, US$17 755 000 devolution funds, US$2 million Public Private Partnerships (PPP), US$15 137 000 in loans, US$6 million Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP), US$3 250 000 from the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (ZINARA) and US$270 000 in donations.

Internal sources are expected to generate US$530.6252 million. The money will come from refuse collection US$30 847 300, Parks fees US$568 300, wastewater US$24 473 900, property tax US$255 212 900, cemetery fees US$3 200 000, water services US$121 399 400, business licence US$9 477 200, Municipal police services US$3 million and housing US$5 900 000.

Mande said the sanitation and hygiene program which, if properly managed, would help the city to deal with public health sector downstream problems with the outcome being improved water, sanitation and hygiene.

Solid waste will take up US$49 574 300 of the budget, waste water services US$30 104 400 and water services US$136 799 400 while the roads program has been allocated US$75 715 500 in the hope of improving the city’s road network trafficability.

“As a city we have an estimate of 5 000 km of road network that we must maintain and rehabilitate. Your worship, 87 percent of our road network is in need of rehabilitation, the city desires to rehabilitate 250 km of road network annually for the next five years at an estimated annual cost of US$250 million,” said Mande.

“Furthermore, the city must carry out routine maintenance of 1 200 km annually at an estimated cost of US$ 60million. For the year 2024, the city targets to rehabilitate 60 km of roads and carry out 500 km of routine maintenance with funding from ZINARA. The highlighted figures indicate the funding gap which must be met for the roads to be trafficable.”

Due to the capital intensive nature of the program, the local authority has been unable to mobilise adequate resources and will use resources from its strategic business unit, City Parking Pvt Limited and Harare Quarry to cut on costs of hiring specialised road equipment by ring-fencing City Parking funds for roads infrastructure and capital equipment,” said Mande as he appealed to the government and other stakeholders to partner the local authority to meet its funding requirements.

At least US$49 801 100 will be spent on public safety and security services to improve the safety of citizens by improving the capacity of the emergency services sector, construction of a new fire station in Marlborough as well as acquisition of ambulances and other assets.

The council also intends to undertake street lighting in the CBD and residential areas.

“The strategic objective of the program is to improve the standard of living of the community by providing quality and adequate housing, education, health and social amenities. Under this program we propose to construct primary schools in Budiriro and Kuwadzana and complete Glaudina primary school,” said Mande.

“On social amenities we will undertake works to complete Rufaro Stadium and refurbish City Sports Centre and Gwanzura Stadium as key projects. We intend to refurbish our community halls across the city to cater for our youth recreational facilities and curb drug and substance abuse.”

New Ziana