The top municipal official of the Harare satellite town of Chitungwiza has attacked the leadership of the Chitungwiza Residents and Ratepayers Association for what he says is there incitement of residents to reject the city’s Z$2.2 billion 2007 budget.
More than 200 residents filed objection papers ahead of a December 15 deadline to force Chitungwiza's city council to reconsider or overhaul the budget.
Chitungwiza Acting Mayor Darlington Nota was quoted in the state-controlled Herald newspaper this week as saying the leaders of the association lack the authority to act on behalf of residents. He pointed to a recent high court decision not to rule on the association's urgent application, saying it would take it up in due course.
But the association's chairman, Arthur Taderera, told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that his group has rejected the 2007 budget because a big rise in rates from $2 000 a month to $23 000 is beyond the reach of most.