Gweru residents, council face off over $1,8bn budget

GWERU residents have threatened to boycott paying rates after the council started implementing a $1,8 billion budget which was allegedly smuggled to the Local Government ministry without their consent.

Residents have threatened to resist paying bills until council justifies how it came up with a $1,8 billion budget — a massive jump from last year’s $46 million — and why it has started implementing it before approval by the parent ministry.

The 2020 budget has already seen services being hiked sharply with burial fees having been scaled up from $80 to $1 097 while council-owned two-roomed houses in Mkoba where tenants were paying $40 per month now have to fork out $600.

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