By Archford Chirimudombo
MARONDERA– Residents’ associations say they are satisfied with Marondera Municipality’s proposed US$36 million budget for the coming year.
Last month, the local authority hosted a final stakeholders consultative meeting at the council chamber after several meetings concerning the budget had been held in all 12 wards in the provincial capital of Mashonaland East.
In that meeting which was attended by association representatives and interested parties from the business community, Town Clerk Rinashe Nyamuzihwa provided an overview of the 2024 budget performance and highlighted the success stories of each programme and the challenges faced and the potential solutions to be implemented.
After Nyamuzihwa’s presentation, finance director John Kachingwe presented the draft 2025 budget, which he said would essentially be a standstill in United States dollar terms.
The standstill budget will be funded by revenue from rates, municipal services, devolution funds, licenses, fines, investments and projects while proposals were made to introduce road and school levies to support road maintenance and the construction of new schools.
In a recent interview with Chaminuka, Marondera Residents Open Forum (MAROF) director Tapiwa Chengeta said that save for a few, residents and other stakeholders were satisfied with the standstill budget and impressed by the consultations made prior.
“The 2025 budget presentation was made after the council stakeholder consultation meetings that laid bare what should be done in the best interest of the council, residents, the business community and other ratepayers. The council management, working closely with the elected councillors reached out to all stakeholders whose input was considered in the whole budget.
“As MAROF, we feel that the standstill budget will result in a win-win situation for the local municipality and its stakeholders. The council has to provide efficient delivery services demanded by stakeholders, who, on the other hand, have to pay for that to be achieved,” Chengeta said.
He challenged residents to play their part by regularly paying their rates so that the Municipality of Marondera can be in a position to provide the services required to keep the town moving.
Statistics obtained from the council indicate that only 60 percent of stakeholders paid their dues to council.
“Residents and stakeholders have to fulfill their financial obligation to council – be it paying rates or licences for their business operations. That will result in an improved full budget performance,” said the MAROF director.
Chengeta hoped that the Municipality of Marondera, with its chequered history of twisting concessions made in consultation with stakeholders, will not Nichodemously change some elements contained in the proposed standstill budget.
Marondera Progressive Residents and Ratepayers Association (MPRRA) chairman Goldman Munjoma also said his association’s members fully supported the municipality’s proposed 2025 standstill budget.
“We are comfortable with the fact that the budget remained standstill, with welcome developments that saw rates for businesses being slashed. Although there were proposals for road and schools levies which however were shelved; we are of the opinion that the authorities have to consider the burden that the ratepayers are already carrying on their shoulders, especially looking at the national budget which introduced more taxes to the already burdened ratepayers.
“For the town to move forward, the council has to ensure that it delivers and live up to its mandate that will encourage ratepayers to live up to their obligations of paying for services rendered. In this regard we will be able to achieve city status soon as enshrined in the Municipality of Marondera’s vision,” Munjoma said.
In an unrelated development, the Marondera Municipality recently converted a former police post in the high density surburb of Dombotombo to a counseling and rehabilitation centre.
In a statement released by its public relations officer Kudakwashe Tapfumaneyi, the local authority urged residents to utilise the facility for their well-being.
“Council would like to inform residents and stakeholders that a counselling and rehabilitation centre has been established at the former Dombotombo police station. The centre is staffed by a qualified social worker who provides psychosocial support and counselling services to clients facing various challenges including grief and trauma, sexual abuse, gender based violence as well as drug and substance abuse.
“In addition to individual counselling, the Centre will offer programmes such as support groups, relapse prevention, community re-integration programmes and HIV counselling and testing. The Counselling and Rehabilitation Centre is a safe space for everyone, where clients can expect professional assistance and confidentiality. All services are free of charge.
“The Municipality of Marondera encourages stakeholders to take advantage of the Counselling and Rehabilitation Centre for the well-being of all community members,” Tapfumaneyi said.
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