The Acting Town Clerk
01 Dec. 21.
RE: OBJECTION TOWARDS THE 20% PROPOSED TARIFF INCREASE FOR 2022 BY CITY OF MUTARE
Dear Sir/Madam
Manica Youth Assembly Trust (MAYA) is a community-based advocacy organization that seeks to empower young people and women to participate in public affairs and proffer solutions actively and holistically is hereby objecting the 20% tariff proposed for 2022 by Mutare City Council. See attached list of some of our members for reference purpose.
The reason for objecting the proposed tariff increase (among many others) are as follows:
- The city council is now relying on rates payment as their main source of income, whereby they can manipulate rate interest at their own will to fatten their pocket. Local authority is supposed to carry out money generating projects rather than relying on ratepayers’ money. Worldwide, local authorities have strategic business units such as power generation and waste recycling that make money for them.
- Mutare City should first publish the income and expenditure for the previous years on revenue collected from Government, ratepayers and donors.
- Council billing anomalies should be corrected first to protect bleeding the ratepayers.
- There is nothing in the budget estimates that will go towards the refurbishment of council rented accommodation such as OTS, Matida, Muchena, Maonde etc yet the residents are expected to pay that 20%.
- Council should first recover money lost through corruption, for example Dangamvura pipeline, the said US$300 000. Also, the stands scandal prejudicing council of the much-needed revenue.
- No transparency and accountability on failed and running project like Pungwe breweries.
- Majority of residents are still recovering from the effects of the Covid19 pandemic most of whom are women and youths. It surprises us to note that council wants to implement 20% increase on the existing rates, yet we are struggling to pay the current rates.
- No value for money being realised from the education, special roads, street lights and fire levies which residents have been forced to pay without any corresponding services being rendered. This is Day light robbery and these levies must be audited and stopped if council cannot render services.
- Debtor’s list should be published and outstanding rates to be collected by council, to burden the paying ratepayer and following up on debt.