Gweru, Vungu Tariff Wars Spill Into Parliament

By Delicious Mathuthu

Harare, Zimbabwe - The protracted administrative and financial conflict between Gweru City Council and Vungu Rural District Council (RDC) over boundary administrative technicalities and rates collection has escalated from local squabbles into the national assembly.

The disputes, which revolve around jurisdictional control of rapidly urbanizing peri-urban areas, mostly under Vungu RDC, has residents caught in the administrative overlap and feeling the severe negative impact.

Gweru City Council (GCC) recently trippled it's rates to some of the areas, saying they are out of it's boundary.

In the house of assembly, the issue was brought to the fore by Mkoba South Member of Parliament, Honourable John Kuka, who asked the Minister of Local Government and Public Works about plans to resolve the continuous disputes that are adversely affecting residents.

The query, which is a common challenge in areas where urban centers expand into adjacent rural jurisdictions, had residents often facing double-billing, where both councils attempt to collect rates and tariffs, or, conversely, a complete service delivery vacuum as neither local authority takes full responsibility for providing essential services like water, sanitation and refuse collection.

The contested control over boundaries translates to undue administrative confusion for residents.

"[are] there…plans in place to ensure that boundary and tariff disputes between Gweru City Council and Vungu Rural District Council do not continue negatively affecting the residents of Claymont Park in Tinshel?" Hon. Kuka asked.

Responding, the Deputy Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Honourable Albert Mavunga, acknowledged the severity of the situation between the two councils while confirming that active measures are underway to bring harmony to the contested zones.

The Minister stated that the service delivery needs for residents in the affected areas, such as Woodlands, also under Vungu RDC, and adjacent urban neighborhoods, are currently being addressed.

"Madam Speaker, the service delivery needs of residents of the Woodlands area under Vungu RDC and adjacent urban neighbourhoods under City of Gweru are currently being addressed.

"Both local authorities have been preparing master plans and the proposals of the area of overlap are compatible," Deputy Minister Mavunga said.

"The intention after the master plan preparation exercise is to allow
development in both councils to be carried out in harmony," he added.