Chinhoyi to name and shame US$16m debtors

The Municipality of Chinhoyi has given residents, businesses and institutions 14 days to settle outstanding rates and service charges, warning that those who fail to comply will be publicly exposed, blacklisted and taken to court.

The ultimatum follows a council resolution adopted on May 27, as the local authority intensifies efforts to recover millions of dollars in unpaid bills that it says are crippling service delivery.

In a public notice issued this week, Chinhoyi town clerk Biriat Tasarira said the municipality would publish the names of all debtors in national and local newspapers as well as on official social media platforms.

"Additional enforcement measures will follow, including blacklisting and legal action," Tasarira warned.

The municipality has urged residents and organisations with overdue accounts to clear their arrears or immediately engage council to negotiate payment arrangements.

According to council officials, the debt-recovery exercise has been prompted by an outstanding debt burden of approximately US$15,9 million.

"The council is being owed US$15,9 million and that's a lot of money needed to cushion our operations," council spokesperson Tichaona Mlauzi told NewsDay.

"We urge all debtors to regularise their accounts and make payment plans."

However, the decision to publicly identify defaulters has drawn criticism from residents' representatives, who argue that the strategy is unlikely to improve collections and may further damage already strained relations between council and ratepayers.

Chinhoyi Residents Association chairperson Tendayi Musonza criticised the move, saying residents were reluctant to pay because of deteriorating service delivery.

"Naming and shaming does not make residents pay. Council should find a way to make people want to pay, like improving service delivery," said Musonza.

"The route they are taking will strain relations even more because council is not doing enough. They want residents to pay for non-existent services. It's a shame."

The disagreement highlights the growing tension between local authorities and residents across Zimbabwe, where councils are increasingly struggling to balance rising operational costs with low revenue collection levels.

Chinhoyi is among several municipalities pursuing more aggressive debt-recovery measures as unpaid rates continue to accumulate.

With service delivery challenges mounting and local authorities facing financial pressures, councils across the country are increasingly turning to legal action, debt collection initiatives and other enforcement mechanisms in an effort to recover outstanding revenue and sustain operations.