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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
The Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) has embraced currency reforms announced by Government on Monday and has scrapped the sale of stands in foreign currency.

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) had approved the sale of housing stands in foreign currency, a move that placed them beyond the reach of many.

Other local authorities like Harare City Council and Gweru City Council were considering selling selected residential and commercial stands in foreign currency.

The sale of land in foreign currency saw hopes of owning a house by many Zimbabweans going out of reach as they could not raise the United States dollars for the piece of land.

Private land developers have also been selling in United State dollars.

In an interview, UCAZ president Councillor Josiah Makombe said local authorities were a third tier of the Government and had since adopted the scrapping of the multi-currency system and adoption of a single domestic transactional unit, the Zimbabwe dollar, aimed at enhancing affordability of goods and spur economic growth.

“There is no way local authorities will go against the Government,” he said.

“However, we will sit as councils and look at the implication of all these issues.”

Clr Makombe, who is also the mayor for Gweru, said local authorities had been struggling to give residents the services they deserve due to the harsh economic conditions prevailing in the country.

“As UCAZ it is our duty to provide our people with proper service delivery, but we have been failing to give our people the services they deserve,” he said.

“We will be meeting next week and issue a statement.”

Clr Makombe encouraged local authorities to go that route of providing affordable housing to the people.

The local authorities are reportedly struggling to service housing stands, owing to the harsh economic climate that has been prevailing in the country.

Government introduced the Zimdollar after realising that the market was opting to price most goods and services in US dollars when the majority of citizens were earning the local unit.