Zimbabwe: Harare City Council Owed Over U.S.$300 Million By Government, Residents, Industry, Dormitory Towns

19 September 2025
New Zimbabwe (London)
By Leopold Munhende

HARARE City Council is owed over US$300 million by government departments, residents, industry, dormitory towns such as Chitungwiza and parastatals that include power utility ZESA.

The debt, which council says is inhibiting its ability to perform duties, was revealed in council's latest Debtors' Age Analysis Report presented by acting head of Revenue Alfred Guni on Thursday.

Guni indicated that a total ZW$8 billion was owed to council in Zimbabwe's local currency, translating to US$307,692,308 using the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe's (RBZ) official rate of US$1: ZW$26.

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"The City is urging its stakeholders to urgently clear their debts, warning that continued non-payment threatens service delivery and the city's operational efficiency," said council after Guni's presentation.

"The City is taking stern measures to recover the debt and urges ratepayers to settle as soon as possible to avoid inconveniences of business closures and residents losing their properties through court orders."

Issues of service delivery have been treated like the chicken and egg tale, with residents demanding services first before payment, while the council expects payment first before service delivery.

Over the past decades, Harare's standards have significantly deteriorated as mounds of rubbish go uncollected, sewer bursts force residents out of their homes, tap water is unsafe, while diseases such as cholera and typhoid still ravage communities.

All this has been blamed on unpaid dues owed to council.

Added Guni: "The bulk of the debt comes from residential property owners who owe the City ZW$5 billion (US$192,307,692), followed by the commercial sector with ZW$1,09 billion (US$41,923,077) and industry at ZW$1.05 billion (US$40,384,615).

"Other significant arrears and debts include the Government owing ZW$167 million (US$6,423,077), ZESA ZW$455 million (US$17,500,000), dormitory towns ZW$345 million (US$13,269,231) while parastatals owe the City ZW$64 million (US$2,461,538) and sundry with ZW$31 million (US$1,192,308).

"Additionally, municipal property tenants owe ZW$58 million (US$2,230,769."

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