By Chipo Gudhe
Kwekwe City Councillors are mooting the introduction of a road levy as a way of addressing the deteriorating local roads.
The levy is designed to target industry and commerce as a pilot project before potentially being extended to residents.
The councilors raised the issue during a full council meeting recently, arguing that although this levy might impose an additional burden on citizens who are already taxed, it was a necessity.
Ward 3 Councillor Pikirai Msipa proposed that the levy be introduced.
“I propose that we come up with a roads levy that can be used to rehabilitate roads. We can start with industry and commerce before taking it to residents,” he said.
Makomborero Mlambo, councillor in Ward 8 shot down the idea saying it would place a heavy burden on the community which is also paying through other licensing platforms.
“We need to think this through. But as I see it this is a burden to residents. We should look at streams of revenue before we burden people. Can we suspend it for now and consult as councilors,” he said.
Ward 1 councillor Alex Senge said it is not a burden arguing that big industries in Kwekwe should chip in rehabilitating the road as they contribute to most of the damage.
“This issue is not burdening residents but industry and commerce for example big companies that used rail and moved to road transporting their goods, so we are saying these can pay through the roads levy to rehabilitate roads. After that we can go and market the idea to the residents after they see results from industry and commerce.
Ward 7 councillor Milton Gwamuri concurred with Senge saying that the roads were in bad shape and it was the duty of citizens to develop their areas.
“The roads are in bad shape and we can all see that it can be a burden to people but we need to bring development to our areas and no one will do that for us. Let us consult and then we can come up with a resolution,” he said.
Acting Chamber Secretary Athanas Chidzurira said the city is allowed to come up with a levy which spells out the timeframe in which it will be operational.
“The city is allowed to come up with a roads levy but what happens is it’s something which starts from the committee which sits and deliberate on why we should have a roads levy. Then they ask the responsible director to come up with computations annd the committee recommends that the levy will be there for a certain period as it can not operate in perpetuity. As far as industry and commerce are concerned we can consult with them as they are part and parcel of the budget committee till then we can move forward to adopt a resolution to charge the road levy,” he said.
