News / National
18 urban council budgets approved
09 Jan 2017 at 04:08hrs | Views
The Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Saviours Kasukuwere has approved 18 urban council budgets for the 2017 financial year while 14 others have either been rejected or are still waiting approval, The Mirror has established.
This becomes the first time in many years that Government has approved local authorities' budgets before the particular financial year begins.
Most of the councils have complied with a Government directive to cut down on managers' salaries.
The urban councils are categorised into cities (7 of them), municipalities (9 of them), towns (9 of them), and local boards (7) bringing the total number of urban councils in Zimbabwe to 32.
In the Southern region, budgets for Masvingo, Zvishavane, Gwanda, Beitbridge and Gweru have all been approved.
Chiredzi is the only urban council in the Southern region whose budget is not approved and the reason given is that the budget is unsustainable.
Mutare's budget is pending.
Harare is one major urban council whose $346m budget has been rejected. Kasukuwere declined to give reasons for the the rejection.
"We have approved budgets for most of the local urban authorities and some have been sent back for resubmission while some were rejected because of unsustainable proposals submitted," said Kasukuwere speaking on the phone from Harare.
The Minister could not provide the exact figures for the approved urban authorities budgets because they have to go through certain stages before they are forwarded to the respective councils.
"We have approved the budgets so that the local authorities can operate smoothly but the exact figures will be released in due course as they have to go through the financial advisory section, the director and the permanent secretary," added the Minister. Of the seven cities in the country Gweru, Kwekwe, Masvingo and Bulawayo were approved while Kadoma and Mutare are up in line for approval and Harare has been rejected and referred back to the local authority for adjustments.
Out of the eight towns in the country only Chiredzi had its budget rejected while Mvurwi, Rusape, Chipinge, Shurugwi, Gokwe, Beitbridge and Plumtree were all approved. Kariba, Victoria Falls, Gwanda and Chinhoyi municipalities were approved while Redcliff, Bindura and Chegutu are in line for approval. Chitungwiza and Marondera had their budgets rejected and asked to resubmit.
Of the eight local boards in the country only Hwange had its budget rejected while Norton, Karoi, Ruwa and Chirundu are in line for approval with only two approved; Epworth and Lupane.
In the southern region Gweru submitted the biggest budget of $46million which was approved followed by Masvingo with $17.7million and Beitbridge $6.6million. The mining town of Gwanda submitted a $6.4million budget and Zvishavane had a budget of $6.125million approved while Chiredzi with $4.8million was rejected.
This becomes the first time in many years that Government has approved local authorities' budgets before the particular financial year begins.
Most of the councils have complied with a Government directive to cut down on managers' salaries.
The urban councils are categorised into cities (7 of them), municipalities (9 of them), towns (9 of them), and local boards (7) bringing the total number of urban councils in Zimbabwe to 32.
In the Southern region, budgets for Masvingo, Zvishavane, Gwanda, Beitbridge and Gweru have all been approved.
Chiredzi is the only urban council in the Southern region whose budget is not approved and the reason given is that the budget is unsustainable.
Mutare's budget is pending.
Harare is one major urban council whose $346m budget has been rejected. Kasukuwere declined to give reasons for the the rejection.
The Minister could not provide the exact figures for the approved urban authorities budgets because they have to go through certain stages before they are forwarded to the respective councils.
"We have approved the budgets so that the local authorities can operate smoothly but the exact figures will be released in due course as they have to go through the financial advisory section, the director and the permanent secretary," added the Minister. Of the seven cities in the country Gweru, Kwekwe, Masvingo and Bulawayo were approved while Kadoma and Mutare are up in line for approval and Harare has been rejected and referred back to the local authority for adjustments.
Out of the eight towns in the country only Chiredzi had its budget rejected while Mvurwi, Rusape, Chipinge, Shurugwi, Gokwe, Beitbridge and Plumtree were all approved. Kariba, Victoria Falls, Gwanda and Chinhoyi municipalities were approved while Redcliff, Bindura and Chegutu are in line for approval. Chitungwiza and Marondera had their budgets rejected and asked to resubmit.
Of the eight local boards in the country only Hwange had its budget rejected while Norton, Karoi, Ruwa and Chirundu are in line for approval with only two approved; Epworth and Lupane.
In the southern region Gweru submitted the biggest budget of $46million which was approved followed by Masvingo with $17.7million and Beitbridge $6.6million. The mining town of Gwanda submitted a $6.4million budget and Zvishavane had a budget of $6.125million approved while Chiredzi with $4.8million was rejected.
Source - Masvingo Mirror
