Zomba City Council says it intends to collect K1 billion through city rates and business licenses, among other fees, by the end of the current fiscal year.
This, according to the City Mayor Councilor Davie Maunde, will help the local authority to implement some development projects.
Councilor Maunde disclosed the K1 billion city target during a full council meeting at the city chamber where he said the intention to collect the amount is part of the Zomba City Council’s Revenue Enhancement Plan.
” The council has Revenue Enhancement Plan, a strategy to collect revenue and I am confident that we will collect the K1billion by the end of this fiscal year,” said Maunde, adding that the revenue will help the council to construct some of the city’s roads, improve sanitation and carry out projects to meet city residents’ social requirements.
He therefore appealed to city residents to pay city rates, business licences and various fees to allow the city council implement projects that should improve their living standards.
“Let the city residents and business people pay rates, licences and other fees so that the council should carry out various development projects to improve the city,” said the City Mayor.
Acting Chief Executive of Zomba City, Fred Nankuyu said council secretariat will ensure prudent finance management to ensure that roads and sanitation projects are implemented accordingly.
“The secretariat will ensure prudent financial management of revenue so that the council should implement various projects such as roads construction,” added Nankuyu.
Councilor for Likangala Ward, Munira Bakali, said the council will ensure that all city residents and all those that are required to pay business licenses and various fees comply to the council’s bylaws that require residents and business people to pay rates, licences and fees..
“If all residents and all business people in the city were able to pay city rates, licences and fees accordingly, the city would be transformed into a better place,” Munira who is also Deputy City Mayor added.
Zomba City Council which was a capital city until 1975 has 10 wards and one parliamentary constituency, Zomba Central Constituency. The local authority mobilises its revenue through city rates, business licenses, market fees among others to carry out development projects.
