Bulawayo residents petition council Mr Christopher Dube

Andile Tshuma, Chronicle Reporter
THE Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA) has petitioned the city council over the local authority’s failure to disburse to nine wards money accruing into the city’s retention fund.

Each of Bulawayo’s 29 wards is entitled to three percent of the city’s revenue in retention funds to fund community development projects.

In a letter addressed to the Bulawayo City Council, BPRA requested an explanation on why the wards in the city have not benefited from the retention fund since 2016.

Bulawayo Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube confirmed receiving the letter yesterday in a telephone interview.

“I can confirm that we received a letter from the Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association with regards to the retention funds. We are in the process of drafting a response to their letter.

“However, we will be meeting residents tomorrow (today) for a financial review meeting at the Small City Hall.

“A lot happens with council funds so we urge residents to attend our public meetings so that we may engage and they understand how the system works,” said Mr Dube.

He referred further questions to the city’s finance director Mr Kimpton Ndimande who said he was aware of the matter but could not give further details as he was not in office.

BPRA spokesperson Mr Emmanuel Ndlovu said the residents association was worried that since 2016, some wards have not received funds.

“We cannot have a situation where money that is supposed to develop communities in the city is kept for years in council coffers yet we are all fully aware of the country’s run-away inflation. We want to understand as residents the reasons for the delay and we want to know when the nine wards that have not benefited anything since 2016 will get the funds,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Chronicle is in possession of the letter to council which highlighted residents’ concerns.

“BPRA notes with concern after having analysed the Full Council minutes of 6 February 2019 that there are wards that have not yet accessed and utilised the three percent Retention Funds meant to develop wards. BPRA would like to understand the reasons and challenges faced by those wards who did not spend anything under their 3% allocation namely Ward 5, 7, 11, 12, 21, 23, 24, 27 and 29,” reads the letter.

“We are deeply concerned by the fact that the retention fund have lost their purchasing power as a result of the country’s runaway inflation. Every month Bulawayo City Council gains a dollar but it loses its buying power with it being kept in council coffers for no logical explanation.” — @andile_tshuma

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