HCC begins budget consultations

By The NewsDay | Aug. 27, 2022 | 2 Min read

In an interview with NewsDay Weekender, Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) acting director Ruben Akili said budget consultations should not just be cosmetic but there was need to implement residents’ priorities.

BY TAFADZWA KACHIKO The City of Harare yesterday began public consultations on the 2023 budget, with residents calling on the local authority to value their input.

“We encourage residents to attend these meetings so that they give their input. But these should not be cosmetic or just to tick a box to say they have been done. We anticipate that the residents’ inputs are well captured and prioritised in the 2023 budget. Our observation is that in some instances, the residents’ needs are well captured. However, there is no political will and to stand towards the set priorities,” Akili said.

“For example, there is a crèche in Warren Park D, whose construction started in the early 1990s, but is not yet finished. Budgeting towards that has been done several times. Where are we spending the money? When residents lack answers they will do deliberate disengagement.

“We saw the local authority spending US$136 000 at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. That money can even buy a refuse truck or finish a building, but it was blown within three days in Bulawayo.”

Harare Residents Trust director Precious Shumba said council officials should value citizens’ participation and encouraged the authorities not to lease some of its facilities but use them to generate revenue that goes directly to council coffers.

“Council should listen to the citizens on the billing system and address this as a matter of priority. Revenues generated from City Parking should be wholly controlled by council to end this opaque system where it gets less than 20% of money from its parking business.

“The consultations should also not have dozens of council officials who waste time bemoaning their challenges and then deny residents the chance to highlight their budget priorities. Budgetary figures should be determined by residents based on their average incomes.”