Mutare City Council Unveils US$65 m Budget

MUTARE- The Mutare City Council has unveiled a proposed budget of US$ 65
million for 2024 with improved water and sewer reticulation as the main
priority.

Presenting the proposed budget at a consultative meeting last week, Mutare City
Council Finance chairperson, Calvin Matsiya said the 2024 looked at improving
several services and infrastructure in the city with the provision of clean safe
water on top of the list.

“We have managed to achieve the provision of water for 22 hours a day for our
residents and we look forward to major rehabilitation and expansion of the
water and sewer reticulation systems to areas that do not have these services
such as Gimboki,” he said.

He added that the 2024 budget was focused on key projects such as road
infrastructure works and water system recapitalisation though bemoaning lack
of funding for road works.

“Our major weakness relates to funding on roads. We are in the process of
engaging Government with a view of adjusting the 5 percent to increase to 10
percent. From that, we are anticipating that Government will ring fence 5
percent around roads so that we are able to find our road infrastructure
projects,” he added.

The local authority is currently losing 60 percent of its treated water to leakages
due to ageing and vandalism of water pipes across the city.

The repair and rehabilitation of these works have thus been tabled as requiring
urgent attention against the backdrop of ever rising cholera cases in the country.

Turning to the 2023 budget, the local authority is currently operating at 69
percent collection rate efficiency with anticipation by year end the authority
would have achieved a 70 percent collection efficiency rate.

“We billed a total of US $27 212 969 to September 2023 and we managed to
collect US$18 967 053 translating to a 69,07 percent collection efficiency rate.
We anticipate that the collection rate should rise to 70 percent by year end,”
said Cllr Matsiya.

The 2023 budget remained stable as tariffs were set in United States Dollars and
collections made at the prevailing bank rate of the day.