The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, said the Ministry has completed its assessment of the 2026 budget estimates submitted by local authorities across the country. Of the 92 local authorities, 90 budgets have been approved, some with specific conditions.
Garwe revealed that the Rushinga Rural District Council has yet to submit its 2026 budget, while the Bikita Rural District Council budget was rejected for being uneconomic and potentially harmful to service delivery.
The Minister added that the Ministry, through the District Development Coordinators, will provide technical support to help the affected councils address the gaps identified in their budgets. He said:
“The Ministry, through the District Development Coordinators, will provide the necessary technical support to assist the affected councils in addressing the identified gaps.
“The 2026 budget review process was conducted at the provincial level by multidisciplinary teams, including experts from institutions of higher learning, to ensure compliance with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and relevant legislation, notably the Rural District Councils Act and the Urban Councils Act.
“The approval process also incorporated measures to ensure that Local Authorities start implementing the Minimum Service Delivery Standards (MSDS) to improve service delivery at the local level.
“In this regard, the Ministry will roll out outreach programmes to support councils in implementing MSDS.”
Garwe said that most budgets also showed progress in implementing Cabinet guidelines on licences, fees, and permits, which have boosted stakeholder cooperation and stimulated economic activity. He said:
“Most budgets also reflected progress in the implementation of Cabinet Guidelines on licences, fees, and permits, which has resulted in improved stakeholder cooperation and increased economic activity.
“These measures are expected to further enhance the ease of doing business, improve revenue collection, and strengthen service delivery.
While billing by Local Authorities has improved compared to previous years, revenue collection remains a challenge.
“Budget execution continues to be constrained by low disbursement of devolution funds and weak collections.”
Garwe said the Ministry will continue engaging Treasury and residents to ensure they meet their respective obligations, enabling councils to deliver quality services.
He added that the Ministry’s Inspectorate Department will also step up monitoring to guarantee the effective and efficient use of resources.
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