Samuel Kadungure Mutare Bureau
A ROW has erupted between the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement and rural district councils (RDCs) over land levies, with the former insisting that collections should be done through its offices, while RDCs want to collect their dues directly from farmers.

RDCs in Manicaland, led by Makoni and Mutare, are collecting levies from farmers in a bid to improve rural infrastructure destroyed by rains. This prompted the ministry, yesterday, to reprimand RDCs in a Press statement.

“All farmers A1, A2 and traders on State land, be advised that lease rentals, land rentals and development levy are paid to the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement only. Business stands on State land are allocated only by the ministry and lease rentals should be paid to the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement only.

“Farmers should know that there are imposters collecting money purporting to be Ministry of Lands (and Rural Resettlement) officials. Farmers (A1 and A2) should pay all land rentals due to avoid having their offer letters and permits withdrawn,” reads the statement. Government policy dictates that A1 and A2 farmers should remit land levies to the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement — which will in turn remit part of the collected revenue to RDCs.

This came into force towards the end of 2015, but RDCs are pushing for its reversal, arguing that it was ill-advised and crippling their operations as the lands ministry lacked capacity to collect and disburse their dues expeditiously. RDCs National Chief Executive Officers (CEO) Forum chairperson, Mr Edward Pise, said they had included the levies in their 2017 budgets.

Mr Pise, who is also the CEO for Makoni RDC, which is at the centre of the levies collection storm, said they had the blessings of the Office of the President and Cabinet to do so.

“The OPC has directed that the funds be channeled through RDCs. This was after we argued our case at that level, and the Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement was present in the meeting.

“It was also agreed at the meeting that the Finance Act, which empowers the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement to collect on our behalf be amended,” said Mr Pise. Holders of valid letters for A2 resettlement plots, self contained plot holders with offer letters, holders of 99-year leases and holders of leases on small-scale commercial farms should pay US$3 land rentals annually per hectare and US$2 per hectare for development levy yearly.

RDCs are collecting their $2 leaving the lands ministry to collect their $3. Holders of A1 permits or temporary permits are required to pay $10 for land rentals and $5 development levy yearly. Mr Pise said RDCs were collecting $5, leaving the ministry to collect the $10 for land rentals. RDCs are bitter that since the issuance of the policy directive, their revenue base depreciated drastically, forcing them to retrench, slash salaries, trips and subsistence allowances to fund critical service delivery demands from resettled farmers.

Revenues from the land rentals should be used by Government to manage rural State land, while that from the development levy is meant for infrastructure development in areas under RDCs. The RDCs are complaining that money collected by the ministry was not being remitted.

“The Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement will collect its share while RDCs collect theirs, which is $5. Can you imagine that this year they have collected $59 000 to be shared by all RDCs. That amount is not even enough for Makoni Rural District Council. They have failed dismally, and this kind of move is meant to cover their failures. RDCs should be allowed to collect their dues directly from the farmers and not wait for disbursements from the ministry,” said Mr Pise.

Mr Pise said if the record is set straight, farmers will not have any problems remitting to RDC dues because there are roads, schools, clinics, bridges and dip tanks to be repaired and built for them. He said RDCs were far better equipped in terms of resources and capacity to deploy to collect levies.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey