Murewa RDC revises communal land development levy

Murewa Rural District Council has announced a revised communal land development levy that will now be charged per individual, including children, marking a shift from the previous flat‑rate system.


Under the new structure, residents aged 18 and above will pay US$3 per year, while those 17 and below will pay US$1 per year. This replaces the former uniform levy of US$5 per person annually, which had been applied across all age groups.

The council also clarified that outstanding arrears from previous years will still be charged at the old rate of US$5 per year, meaning residents with unpaid balances will settle those amounts under the previous system.

The revised levy is expected to affect thousands of households across Murewa’s communal areas, where family sizes tend to be large and income levels vary widely. The shift to a per‑person model may ease the burden for smaller households while increasing costs for larger families, making community awareness and clarity essential as the new system takes effect.

A clearer breakdown of how the council intends to use the levy—typically allocated to local development, infrastructure maintenance and service delivery—may help residents understand the rationale behind the changes and how they align with broader rural development goals.