Lovemore Chazingwa
Mashonaland West Bureau Chief
KADOMA-The Government has attached stringent conditions for the approved Kadoma City’s 2026 US$37 million budget.
The budget was approved earlier this month, with the parent Local Government Ministry stating that it was doing so with the adopted changes on condition that council liquidates all salary arrears by June 30, this year and ensure full use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) modules to galvanize revenue generation and collection.
The city is dogged by salaries areas dating back several months as well as efficiency bottlenecks.
The budget is a 30 percent jump from the US$28 million presented and approved for implementation in the preceding fiscal year.
In announcing the budget approval, council admitted total failure to supply water to some parts under its jurisdiction, resulting in the local authority considering a marked reduction of the minimum water charge to those affected.
“Among the list of submissions, council considered two objections and approved a 50 percent reduction in minimum water charge for areas not receiving water at all.”
The reduction however, has a spike effect on other users.
“The reduction has pushed the cost per unit, 1 000 litres, of water from 80 cents to US$1.43. This will result in significant increases in the cost of water consumed to US$1.50. All other brackets above the minimum have also increased.”
The increases are effective this February.
Also of note is the approval of a contentious US$2 million plant installation at the city’s main water treatment plant.
“Council resolved approval of a solar levy to install a US$2 million Blue Ranges Water Treatment Plant. The once-off solar levy, for the plant, was set at US$100 per high density property, US$120 for low density, US$150 for institutional and US$200 for both commercial and industrial properties. Large water consumers will be charged according to their average monthly consumption.”
The mandatory solar levy is payable by June 2026, advises council from a public communique.
There is a deliberate policy shift in council operations, prioritizing decisions at improving service delivery and infrastructure investment.
In engagements prior, mayor Nigel Ruzario alluded to the fact that social media platforms will form a vital component for stakeholder engagement as a tool for holistic, improved operations.
The budget formulation process, though it eventually sailed through, was scoffed at by some sections of stakeholders who felt consultation was not exhaustive.
Council pins hopes on improved revenue inflows to fully implement its financial plan for the year.
For the city to come up with an annual budget, the Urban Councils Act [Chapter 29:25] has drawn regulatory frameworks for it to, among other laid down procedures, conveniently engage stakeholders to consider their input into the final draft. The Act allows for the creation of a supplementary budget during the course of the year, if the need arises.
