Residents warned to avoid entering into payment agreement with council

Harare Resident Trust has advised residents to shun engaging into payment agreement plans with the local authority saying the council does that to frighten them into submission using unfair means.

"The HRT advises residents of Harare to avoid rushing to Rowan Martin to enter into payment plans when you have received either summons or final demand letters," said the trust.

"To safeguard yourself against their well-calculated scheme to raise money through frightening residents, the City of Harare's Treasury Department, using an archaic and inconsistent BIQ billing system, are estimating your bills, and coming up with frightening figures, and then resort to writing you letters demanding the total amount, or they send you summons, forcing you to rush to them and enter into payment plans to avoid your property being attached."

The trust said the best route for you as a citizen is to acquire knowledge of how to enter your appearance to defend yourself.

"Either you are accepting the total amount being claimed by the City of Harare or you are rejecting the full claim, and in that case you cite your reasons. Gone are the days when they should be allowed to steal from the people and pay each other huge amounts in salaries and allowances yet service delivery continues to decline. Know your rights, and claim them without hesitation," said the trust.

"If the City of Harare has violated your rights you do not have to punish yourself by entering into payment plans for money you do not owe them. They owe you in services- uncollected garbage, they do not collect when they are supposed to collect, they charge for estimated water consumption, they charge you for fixed water charge, yet you do not receive the water."

"The HRT is going in every place where residents have received summons and teaching them working with lawyers how to respond to the summons. Fear nothing Mugari! Ngwara," the trust added.

The trust said residents need full cooperation of the officials Mayor.

"The current problem with your officials is that they ill-treat residents yet they are taking home more than the ordinary resident can even dream. As the Mayor we are expecting you to put a stop to this salaries madness in the City of Harare, and then we can fully back you when you talk of rates compliance," said the trust.