Kadoma City Unveils US$30m 2025 Budget

–Rates and Tariff incresed by more than 200%
– Public Lighting and Roads Levy Scrapped
-Valuation Roll charge to be effective 2025

By Lloyd Mwale in Kadoma

City of Kadoma has unveiled a US$30million 2025 budget during a tension-filled budget consultation meeting held at Anglican Hall in Kadoma recently. The budget is aimed at improving some perennial problems that have dogged the small mining city for the past two decades.

Presenting the 2025 budget proposals, the City’s Finance Director, Faustina Zhou said that in order to ease some of the city’s perennial problems she had allocated US$7,5m towards goods and services in an effort to improve the water supply coverage within the city’s jurisdictions.

“The city is and has always been dogged by perennial water supply problems for the past years and as a council we have prioritized water supply provision to our residents, so I have allocated to spend Us$7.5 million towards improved water supply coverage and infrastructure and improved sewer network and trearment plant among the major goods and service prioritises.

“We aim to improve service delivery all round but this will only come to fruition if we get assistance from our ratepayers. Our aim is to improve on public lighting for residents’ security and improved environment management,” said Zhou.

The City’s top treasurer has also fixed to spend Us$8.5 million for Compensation of Employees, US$1,6m for maintenance works while Repairs were allocated Us$1.2 million with the remainder going to Social Benefits, Interests, Grants, Consumption of Fixed Capital and Other Expenses.

For a smooth run of cashflow a proposed imcome of Us$14 million from Sale of Goods Services was made, Fines, Penalties Forfeits of US$27 000. Taxes on Property of US$11 million was made to finance some council projects with US$3.2 million coming from loans.

Kadoma residents will see an increase in water estimates which will see each household paying Us$14 from Us$5, a visit to council’s clinics will cost $10 for an adult while a child below 12 years will pay Us$8 and the cost of giving birth will also be charged US$46 at all council’s maternity homes.

Rimuka Light Industry leases will be pegged at US$110 per month and Waverly Commercial Shops rates jump to Us$220. Residents have not been spared the cost of dying with council to charge US$35 for an adult grave, and a child under 12 years will be charged US$16 at Rimuka Cemetery. At Town Cemetery an adult grave will be pegged at US$688 for a city’s resident while a non-resident will fork out Us$1373.

However the budget consultation drew criticism from residents who queried council position on charging residents for water which has not been available to most residents for the past two decades.

One businesman, Kenias Kuvaronza demanded to know why the council was charging residents when most residents did not have a single drop of water in their taps.

“Council you’re failing residents, how come you charge us for a commodity which is not available. Most people have now resorted to looking for water at either boreholes or unsafe water sources but you continue milking us, just scrap that water charge it is serving no purpose,” said an irrate Kuvaronza.

Another resident Noah Musekiwa nearly lost his temper demanding accountability in water billing by City of Kadoma.

“We’ve had enough of this system of billing. City authorities have been shortchanging us the residents,it’s better for ZAAC to come and probe what is going on at the town house,” said Musekiwa in a rage of rage.

The three residents’ associations present at the budget consultation meeting called for transparency and accountability from council in the way Kadoma city affairs are being run in order to instil confidence in residents.

Kadoma Progressive Residents Association vice chairperson Precious Charekera and Greater Kadoma Residents and Ratepayers Association Chairman,Lameck Madziba and Dr Pikirai Mazhani,Kadoma Community Council Chairperson voiced their concerns on how council business is being run in providing service delivery in the citt which has seen nearly everything in Kadoma being run down.