By Fanuel Chinowaita
MUTARE, 14 July 2026 – Mutare City Council says it collected more revenue, maintained an average of 22 hours of daily water supply and continued investing in infrastructure during the first half of 2026, but warned that mounting debts, inadequate road funding and the continued absence of devolution funds are threatening service delivery.
The findings were presented Yesterday during the State of the City Address held at Mutare Hall, where Town Clerk Blessing Chafesuka delivered a technical review of council performance for the period January to June 2026 before Mayor Simon Chabuka addressed residents, government officials, councilors and other stakeholders.
The report showed that the local authority collected ZWG600 million during the first six months of the year and spent ZWG574.3 million on operations and development projects.
Presenting the report, Chafesuka said the city had continued to deliver services despite financial and operational challenges.
“The first half of 2026 shows a City collecting more, spending responsibly, and delivering visibly on roads, water, lighting, sport and learning. With the support of our partners and residents, the second half will carry that momentum further,” he said.
According to the report, water sales accounted for 20 percent of total revenue collections while assessment rates contributed 19 percent.
Council reported that it maintained an average of 22 hours of continuous water supply, achieving its performance target, while basic water coverage reached 93 percent across the city.
The report also revealed that the new Hobhouse Polyclinic is now 90 percent complete, having been largely financed from council resources amid the continued non-disbursement of devolution funds.
Among the projects highlighted were the rehabilitation of major roads, including Industrial Road, Railway Street and New Castle Road, installation of tower lights at Hobhouse and St Joseph, and the acquisition of a five-tonne truck and 14 utility vehicles to strengthen service delivery.
Council also completed an ICT laboratory at Chikanga Primary School equipped with 50 computers and advanced construction of sports facilities at the Chikanga Sports Complex.
The city further celebrated national recognition after winning the 2025 President’s Award for Performance Excellence in Service Delivery, with Chafesuka being named Zimbabwe’s best Town Clerk.
Despite the achievements, the report painted a concerning picture of council’s debtors book.
Outstanding debts owed to the city rose to ZWG946 million, equivalent to approximately US$35.3 million, representing a 26.47 percent increase since January.
Government institutions featured prominently among the largest debtors, with the Ministry of Defence owing more than ZWG75 million, followed by Mutasa Rural District Council and Mutare Police.
Chafesuka said council would intensify debt recovery measures through legal action, targeted service disconnections, payment plans and enhanced engagement with debtors.
“Legal enforcement, targeted disconnections, flexible payment plans and strengthened debt recovery processes remain critical if we are to improve collection efficiency and reduce the receivables book,” he said.
The report also highlighted a major financial burden arising from a land dispute won by the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), which resulted in a liability of ZWG226.4 million. Council said the debt was now being serviced through a structured repayment plan.
Addressing delegates after the presentation, Mayor Simon Chabuka said the city had demonstrated resilience despite difficult economic conditions and increasing pressure on service delivery systems.
“We celebrate our successes without complacency, acknowledge our shortcomings without defensiveness, and recommit ourselves to delivering services that meet the expectations of the people we are privileged to serve,” he said.
Chabuka said the city’s five-year strategic plan was aligned with the National Development Strategy 2 and Government’s Minimum Service Delivery Standards framework.
He said Mutare’s recent recognition as Zimbabwe’s top-performing local authority should motivate council to sustain and improve its performance.
“While this accolade celebrates our outstanding performance in 2025, we cannot afford to rest on our laurels. It must now serve as our anchor and our daily motivation as we work relentlessly to defend our title and retain our top spot for 2026,” he said.
The mayor acknowledged that deteriorating roads remained one of the city’s weakest service delivery areas, citing inadequate funding from the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA), delayed payment of funds committed by Government for the Sanganai/Hlanganani conference road works, and the continued absence of devolution funds.
According to the report, only 139 kilometres of the city’s 507-kilometre road network is currently trafficable, while more than US$110 million is required to restore the network.
Council is also still awaiting payment of approximately US$8 million committed by Government for road rehabilitation linked to the tourism conference.
“We cannot resolve these issues in silos. We are actively calling upon our partners in Government to establish predictable fund disbursement protocols, enhance ZINARA allocations and prioritise the timely settlement of their institutional bills to Council,” Chabuka said.
Looking ahead, the mayor said council would focus on reducing non-revenue water losses, improving road infrastructure and public lighting, completing the Hobhouse Polyclinic and Chikanga Sports Complex projects, and advancing the Sakubva Local Development Plan.
He also announced plans to develop a Local Economic Development Strategy in partnership with GIZ and a City Transformation Strategy with the Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences aimed at modernizing municipal services through technology and innovation.
“Mutare is open for business. Mutare is a city of excellence. Let us continue to work together, across all spheres of government, to realize our 2030 vision,” he said.
In his closing remarks, Deputy Mayor Alderman John Nyamhoka thanked residents, development partners, government ministries, businesses, civil society organizations, institutions of higher learning, the media and council employees for supporting the city’s development agenda.
He said the progress highlighted during the State of the City Address had been made possible through collaboration among stakeholders, while acknowledging that significant work remained to improve roads and strengthen service delivery.
“As Council, we recognize that there is still much work to be done, particularly in addressing our road infrastructure, improving service delivery, and meeting the growing expectations of our community. We remain committed to listening to our residents and working together to build a cleaner, safer, greener and more prosperous Mutare,” Nyamhoka said.
He also expressed gratitude to Central Government, provincial and district leadership, Mayor Chabuka, councilors, Town Clerk Blessing Chafesuka and council staff, the Multi-Stakeholder Committee, residents and ratepayers for their continued support.
“Without you, we wouldn’t exist. May today’s address inspire renewed collaboration as we continue building the City we all aspire to live in,” he said.
The State of the City Address brought together government officials, councilors, residents, business representatives, civil society organizations and development partners to review council performance during the first half of 2026 and outline priorities for the remainder of the year.