City Collected Just Half Its Revenue, Harare Residents Say ‘No Service, No Payment’

Harare City Council is reeling from a deepening revenue crisis, as frustrated residents withhold payments over poor service delivery.

Of the ZiG8.286 billion billed between January and September, the city recovered just half, with broken water systems and erratic refuse collection topping complaints.

The financial strain was revealed during the 2026 budget presentation by Finance and Development Committee chairperson, Councillor Costa Mande.

He said the council had only managed to collect ZiG4.286 billion in the nine-month period under review, falling far short of the city’s projected revenue targets.

“The collection efficiency trend has been 48.4 percent in the first quarter, 47.5 percent in the second quarter and 54 percent in the third quarter.

“Although this represented an improvement compared to earlier quarters, liquidity remained tight with limited fiscal space,” said Cllr Mande.

He credited the modest third-quarter rebound to reforms introduced by the city, including compliance checks, stricter follow-ups on debtors, expansion of electronic payment platforms, and integration of council systems.

However, he warned that the financial position remains fragile.

“The main challenge is that residents are reluctant to pay because they feel the services are not satisfactory.

“This creates a cycle where low revenue limits the city’s ability to improve services,” he said.

Cllr Mande stressed that the city must break this cycle by introducing clear service-for-payment initiatives and strengthening revenue collection enforcement to rebuild public trust.

He said restoring confidence in council systems was key to unlocking consistent income and that the 2026 budget had been designed with that goal in mind.

“For 2026, the budget includes monthly cash flow forecasting and clear cash allocation systems that prioritise essential services to keep them running smoothly.

“A fully integrated ERP system will help track income in real time, allowing better decisions on how to use our resources,” he said.

According to The Herald, Harare’s financial woes are being compounded by growing public frustration over inconsistent refuse collection, unreliable water supply, and deteriorating infrastructure.

Council hopes that greater transparency and better services will rebuild trust and revive collections needed to keep the city functioning.