Chirumanzu Rural District Council workers have gone at least six months without salaries as the Government is yet to disburse ZWG150.73 million allocated to the local authority under the 2026 Devolution Fund, with just two months remaining before the end of the year.
The delayed disbursement has worsened the council’s financial challenges, leaving workers facing prolonged salary arrears amid dwindling revenue inflows from other sources.
A recent full council meeting held in the council boardroom heard that the outstanding Devolution Fund allocation had placed additional pressure on the local authority’s ability to meet its financial obligations.
The funding delay comes at a time when the council is also struggling to collect revenue from residents, farmers and other clients, further constraining its capacity to sustain operations and pay employees.
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The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) released only ZWG1.7 million against its budget allocation of ZWG15.1 million, representing approximately 11% of the expected funding.
Revenue collection has also remained poor, with the council collecting ZWG54.62 million between January and August against a target of ZWG353.84 million, representing just 15% of the projected amount.
The council attributed the poor revenue performance to residents failing to honour payment plans, farmers resisting the payment of levies, and delays in payments from some clients.
With only two months left before the end of 2026, the delayed government funding has raised concerns about whether the council will be able to clear the salary backlog and provide relief to workers who have endured months without pay.
During a council meeting held on Monday, Ward 24 Councillor Tremendous Musara suggested that the local authority consider allocating land to workers as compensation for their outstanding salaries, underscoring the severity of the situation.
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