ZINARA disburses 88 percent of collected revenue to councils – Mutare lauds move as progressive

By Leopold Munhende

MUTARE City Council has described as progressive, moves by the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (ZINARA) to disburse 88% of collected revenue to local authorities across the country.

ZINARA, tasked with funding Zimbabwe’s road rehabilitation programme, disbursed 100% of budgeted-for amounts to all councils across the country’s 10 provinces, according to its recent memo.

Fifty-eight (58) of Zimbabwe’s 94 road authorities received 100% of their fuel allocation with ZINARA disbursing ZiG4,7 billion to councils in the year ending December 31, 2024.

Zimbabwe’s road network, which was declared a national disaster by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been under constant rehabilitation since. Councils and government have over recent years gone a gear up in their rehabilitation.

Mutare Town Clerk, Blessing Chafesuka welcomed ZINARA’s quick disbursement of funds saying it saved council from having to deal with devaluation of the local currency associated with late deposits of funds.

Chafesuka’s council got 100% of its US$8,978,287 budget from ZINARA.

“Mutare received its full allocation for 2024, which is progressive,” said Chafesuka.

“We have no issues with ZINARA disbursements, our only challenge relates to procurement regulations which are too long and not suitable to the obtaining economic environment,” said Chafesuka.

ZINARA has the sole mandate of collecting revenue on Zimbabwean roads through toll fees and has spearheaded the funding of road rehabilitation on its major highways such as the Beit Bridge – Harare and Bulawayo – Harare highways.

Fuel allocation to councils was referred to by Chafesuka as a good way of maintaining the value of the local ZiG.

He added: “This is a better way to preserve value than getting ZiG, which in most cases loses value in accounts.”

Formerly one of the most secretive parastatals, ZINARA, now led by Chief Executive Officer Nkosinathi Ncube, has much recently been open with how it operates, including the funding model used to finance councils across the country.

“We are in a good working relationship with ZINARA as it is engaging us professionally through multiple channels,” said Makonde Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer (CEO) Paradzayi Munyeda.

In Harare, funds have been disbursed for reconstruction of roads such as the Dzivarasekwa and Warren Park – Kambuzuma roads.