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Walter Nyamukondiwa Chinhoyi Bureau
Chinhoyi Municipality owes workers $2,4 million in salary arrears and has no capacity to offset the debt as it is collecting only $300 000 a month. It requires $380 000 for workers’ salaries every month.

This leaves council with a deficit of $80 000 monthly. Speaking at the municipality’s strategic plan review workshop, chamber secretary Mr Abel Gotora said there was need to take concrete steps to address the situation.

“Our monthly collections are around $300 000 and we see that they are on a downward trajectory. “On the other hand we have salaries amounting to around $380 000 which need to be paid every month.

“We need concrete measures to address that,” said Mr Gotora. He said plans by council to retrench were being hampered by the ballooning salary arrears. The arrears will form part of workers’ packages.

Chinhoyi wants to retrench 100 workers. It has 380 employees. Town clerk Mr Maxwell Kaitano is adamant that the Mashonaland West provincial capital will attain city status by 2018.

“The strategic plan we are reviewing now set the tone for the attainment of city status by 2018 and we feel we are moving at the right speed to meet that goal,” he said. Chinhoyi mayor Cde Test Michaels expressed concern at the slow pace of water augmentation in the town. “I am a bit concerned town clerk and the engineer in terms of water augmentation.

“I think we are lagging behind so much. As much as we have appetite for development, we must remain steadfast and do our best,” said Cde Michaels.

Chinhoyi has had several applications for city status turned down as they fell short of expected amenities. However, the town is now repairing roads, putting up signs and collecting garbage. It recently bought three refuse compactors.