By Fanuel Chinowaita
Mutare, 25 October 2025– The City of Mutare has launched a door-to-door budget consultation program aimed at increasing residents’ participation in the local authority’s 2026 budget formulation process.
Speaking to journalists on yesterday, Town Clerk Mr. Blessing Chafesuka expressed concern over the low turnout during recent public budget meetings, saying the new approach is designed to ensure that every resident’s voice is heard.
“People are not attending consultations, so Council is now going to fund door-to-door consultations. You will see people wearing bibs written ‘UMRRT Enumerator.’ Please accept them when they visit your homes,” said Mr. Chafesuka.
He said the initiative is expected to significantly boost the number of residents contributing to the budget process.
In support of the initiative, the United Mutare Residents and Ratepayers Trust (UMRRT) confirmed the deployment of a strong team to carry out the consultations.
“This morning, we have deployed a team of 50 strong, motivated, and experienced enumerators to conduct a door-to-door 2026 Mutare City budget consultation exercise. Please support them when you meet them on the ground,” said UMRRT in a statement.
Turning to the Education Levy, the Town Clerk highlighted the urgent need for more schools in the city, noting that the last census revealed a shortage of 49 schools in Mutare.
“If you go to Gimboki, thousands of children are learning in private facilities. Since 1890 until about four years ago, Council only had four schools, but in the last four years, we have built Gimboki, Hobhouse, and Chikanga Primary Schools,” he said.
Mr. Chafesuka urged residents to embrace the Education Levy, emphasizing its importance in bridging the education infrastructure gap.
“The levy is just one dollar per household per month, which amounts to twelve dollars per year. Let us all support this initiative so that we can build more schools for our children,” he said.
On income generation, Mr. Chafesuka revealed that the Minister of Finance has approved funding for the construction of the city’s first fuel service station, expected to commence next year after the current procurement phase.
He added that Council also plans to establish a water bottling plant and a garment manufacturing company as part of efforts to boost municipal revenue.
Commenting on devolution, the Town Clerk said the city continues to implement key infrastructure projects despite the delayed disbursement of devolution funds. These include the construction of Chikanga Primary School, the Murahwa sewer line, and the completion of Hobhouse Clinic.
Mr. Chafesuka reiterated that the door-to-door consultation model will make the budgeting process more inclusive.
“We cannot allow about 5,000 people to decide for approximately 280,000 residents. Door-to-door consultations will help us reach more people and ensure broader community participation,” he said.
The City of Mutare and its partners, including UMRRT, remain committed to promoting participatory governance, improved service delivery, and sustainable urban development.
