Introduction and Background
The City of Harare tabled its proposed 2020 Budget on Tuesday 26 November 2019 at the Town House Chambers in the presence of all Councillors and management. Presenting the Capital and Revenue Estimates at a Special Full Council Meeting at Town House, Councillor Luckson Mukunguma (Ward 25, Highfield), the Finance and Development Committee Chairperson, said the budget was crafted recognising the message delivered by the Mayor, Councillor Herbert Gomba (Ward 27, Glen Norah B) during the State of the City Address of a new hope towards a Smart City presented on 29 October 2019. Despite the challenges the City faced in 2019, the City is hopeful to turn around the fortunes of the City by improving water delivery, waste management, road network infrastructure and a sustainable financial management, despite the hyperinflationary operating environment.
The plan is also designed to fulfil Council’s 2019 to 2025 Strategic Plan Goals. One of the goals is to ensure that there is 75% customer satisfaction by availing water to residents, avoid environment pollution, managing waste effectively, repair, maintain and construct trafficable roads. The Budget is also program based, meaning that it is anchored on Performance Improvements Plans and Gender Responsive in nature and in line with the Ministerial Circular referenced CX/53 of 09 October 2019. It also factors in the objectives of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) that is to achieve an upper middle class economy by 2030.
The Operating Environment was also characterised by policy shifts that threatened to derail the operations of Council due to the introduction of Statutory Instrument – SI 142 of 2019 that recognised the Zimbabwe Dollar as the sole legal tender of the country. The other currencies of the basket could now not be used in settling obligations and dues.
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Source: Harare Residents Trust
