Zimbabwe Parliament: Harare Chitungwiza Councils Diverted Sewer Fees

• Harare and Chitungwiza municipalities diverted collected wastewater fees into general accounts instead of using them for sewer infrastructure repairs.
• This financial mismanagement has led to 15 years of infrastructure decay and a current request for a US$9.3 million emergency bailout.
• The Parliament's Environment Committee found that environmental fines and service fees were not ring-fenced, and councils often evade pollution convictions.
• Recommendations include mandatory revenue ring-fencing by law, capitalizing the National Environmental Fund, and enforcing the Polluter Pays Principle.
• The Committee also proposed a US$500 million municipal bond with sovereign guarantees to fund Chitungwiza's Cholera Alleviation Programme.

Without an investment exceeding US$500 million and a significant improvement in the financial management practices of local authorities, the region will remain trapped in a perpetual cycle of disease outbreaks and environmental destruction.

The municipalities of Harare and Chitungwiza are facing severe criticism from the Zimbabwean Parliament for allegedly misdirecting funds intended for critical wastewater infrastructure. Instead of allocating collected sewer fees to repair and maintain the sewer systems, these revenues were reportedly channeled into general accounts. This diversion has been identified as a primary cause for the deterioration of vital infrastructure over the past 15 years, impacting key sites such as Amalinda Crossing and the Morton Jaffray water treatment plant.

As a direct consequence of this financial mismanagement and infrastructure neglect, the local authorities are now seeking an urgent bailout totaling US$9.3 million. Specifically, the City of Harare requires US$5,509,350 from Devolution Funds to install 1,200mm trunk mains, a measure crucial to halt the daily discharge of 80 megalitres of raw sewage at Amalinda Crossing. Additionally, the council has requested US$3,881,094 for other emergency water works, which includes US$1,337,000 designated for the procurement of three essential pump sets for the Morton Jaffray Water Works. Without these pumps, engineers have warned that both Greater Harare and Inkomo Barracks face the imminent risk of running dry.

A comprehensive report by the Portfolio Committee on Environment, Climate and Wildlife, which investigated water pollution hotspots in Harare and Chitungwiza, brought these issues to light. The Zimbabwe Parliament Environment Committee report explicitly stated that funds collected from residents as service fees, alongside fines imposed by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), were not ring-fenced for capital repairs. This lack of dedicated financial allocation directly contributed to the extensive decay observed in the municipal infrastructure.

The Committee also expressed significant concerns regarding the efficacy of environmental enforcement within these local authorities. Despite the Environmental Management Agency EMA Zimbabwe initiating legal action against councils for pollution-related offenses since 2014, these municipalities have frequently evaded conviction. A recurring defense cited by local authorities, such as Ruwa in 2022, involves attributing operational failures and subsequent pollution to power cuts from ZESA, thereby sidestepping accountability for environmental damage.

To address the systemic issues of financial mismanagement and environmental degradation, the Parliamentary Committee has put forth several key recommendations. Foremost among these is the call for the government to introduce mandatory revenue ring-fencing by law. This legislative measure would ensure that all wastewater fees and environmental fines are legally earmarked and exclusively directed towards sewer infrastructure repairs and broader pollution control initiatives. This directly addresses the problem of Harare Chitungwiza councils sewer fees diversion.

Furthermore, the Committee recommended the full capitalization of the National Environmental Fund by December 31, 2026. It also urged local authorities to develop and implement modern by-laws that effectively enforce the Polluter Pays Principle Zimbabwe. This principle mandates that entities responsible for environmental pollution must bear the full costs associated with preventing, controlling, and remedying the damage they cause. For long-term financial stability and infrastructure development, the Committee advocated for the Treasury to provide sovereign guarantees for a proposed US$500 million municipal bond, specifically intended to fund Chitungwiza's Cholera Alleviation Programme.

The parliamentary report issued a stark warning regarding the future of the metropolitan area should the current trajectory of financial indiscipline and underfunding persist. It emphasized that without an investment exceeding US$500 million and a significant improvement in the financial management practices of local authorities, the region will remain trapped in a perpetual cycle of disease outbreaks and environmental destruction. The lack of proper infrastructure maintenance, exacerbated by the diversion of dedicated funds, directly contributes to public health crises and ecological damage.

This situation underscores the critical need for robust financial oversight and adherence to environmental protection principles. The proposed Harare Chitungwiza municipal bond and the legislative changes, such as mandatory revenue ring-fencing, are presented as essential steps to break this cycle. The ongoing challenges highlight a systemic failure in local governance that requires immediate and decisive intervention to safeguard public health and the environment.

Lawyers advising Zimbabwean municipalities or involved in environmental compliance should note the increased parliamentary scrutiny on local authority financial management, particularly regarding dedicated funds. Anticipate potential new legislation mandating revenue ring-fencing for wastewater fees and stricter enforcement of the Polluter Pays Principle, which could create new compliance obligations and litigation risks for entities causing environmental damage.

Source: Original reporting via New Zimbabwe