WARD RETENTION FUND DISBURSEMENTS SPILLS INTO COURT
Harare residents have dragged the Harare City Council to Court over failure to remit 25% ward retention funds to all forty-six wards of Harare.
On the 23rd of February 2017, Harare City Council made a resolution to remit 25% of revenue collected on each ward to be used for developmental initiatives for each ward but nothing has been disbursed to date.
The court intervention comes at a time when the local authority is failing to supply the equipment needed to attend to sewer blockages, grass cutting and water bursts at local District Offices.
The Ward retention fund is meant to cater for locally identified developmental projects that will not be prioritized in the Capital budgets for the respective local area.
The Court application which CHRA is an Applicant with case number HC2286 is seeking a relief order for;
- The Harare City Council to remit 25% of the rates collected in 46 wards in Harare as per council resolution made in 2017.
- The Acting Finance director to open designated bank accounts with a duly registered commercial bank in Zimbabwe for each residential ward in Harare for the purpose of collection of rates payments from residents.
- The City of Harare and the Acting Finance Director to remit 25% of the rates collected in the 46 residential wards in Harare no later than the last day of each and every month that follows.
- The City of Harare and the Acting Finance Director to remit 25% of the rates collected prior to the date of this order within 30 days of service of the order on it.
Statement by the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)