…youths, women and disability groups not represented on the Committee
Leslie Karumbidza
Mutare City Council is under fire from youths, women groups and people with disabilities for turning a blind eye towards them in terms of representation in the budget committee thereby lacking balance.
The 13-member committee is accused of lacking balance with only one woman being elected.
Mutare Mayor Blessing Tandi told said there was no reverse on the budget committee membership.
“There is no reversal or review of the budget committee members as the committee is inaugural for the City of Mutare, it might have some flaws here and there but we cannot correct them as for now as we are racing against time to come up with a budget. If we try to ratify the mistakes and errors in the committee, it will derail the whole process. We have observed the concerns and next year we can know how to compose our committee,” said Tandi.
The local authority selected the committee during a two-day stakeholders’ consultative meeting held in Nyanga to come up with the committee comprising of representatives from wards, business community, small to medium entrepreneurs and resident associations among others.
Manicaland Youth Assembly Coordinator Jussa Kudhereze said lack of representation of youths in the committee has made it exclusive rather than inclusive and they expect the local authority to balance the committee in the next budget cycle.
“The recently selected budget committee has no representatives for young people that refer to it as very exclusive rather than inclusive. Although the deed has been done we expect that this under-representation of women and youths must not be taken lightly and this has to be corrected in the next budget cycle.
“Maya supports the work of the budget committee. However, we hope that this committee is not red herring. There should be no interference from other offices hence it should be free to make decisions as the Committee who will be accountable to residents for the budget,” said Kudherezera.
The Budget Committee will spearhead the 2022 budget formulation and consultation processes.
