Discounts Amid Decline: Harare’s 20% Rates Offer Signals Desperation, Not Relief

By Regina Pasipanodya

In a move that underscores both financial desperation and strategic recalibration, the Harare City Council has announced a 20 percent discount on rates for residents who settle their arrears between January 19 and February 15.

While framed as a goodwill gesture, the offer reveals deeper cracks in the city’s governance and service delivery model—cracks widened by a staggering ZW$8.4 billion debt.

Behind the Discount: A City in DeclineMayor Jacob Mafume’s statement paints the discount as a revenue-boosting incentive, but the context tells a more sobering story.

Harare’s service delivery has plummeted to a dismal 52 percent, with garbage piling up, water shortages worsening, and road maintenance nearly nonexistent.

The city’s own data shows that without a minimum 80 percent collection rate in 2026, basic services will continue to deteriorate.

A Crisis of Trust, Not Just Cash

What’s missing from the city’s narrative is an honest reckoning with why residents aren’t paying.

Many citizens cite a lack of visible services, billing errors, and a sense of futility in paying for undelivered promises.

“Why pay for water that never comes out of the tap?” asked one Budiriro resident. The discount, then, may be less a reward and more a plea—a signal that the city is struggling to restore public trust.

The Bigger Picture: A Broken Social Contract

This financial crisis is not just about numbers. It reflects a broken social contract between the city and its residents.

The council’s reliance on ratepayers to fund services is undermined when those services are absent.

Meanwhile, residents feel penalized twice—first by poor service, then by pressure to pay for it.

A Missed Opportunity for Dialogue

Rather than launching a unilateral discount scheme, critics argue the council could have used this moment to engage residents in co-creating solutions.

Looking Ahead: Can the City Rebuild?

The 20 percent discount may offer short-term relief for some households, but it does little to address the structural issues behind Harare’s fiscal collapse.

Without systemic reforms, improved accountability, and a genuine commitment to service delivery, the city risks deepening its credibility crisis.

As Harareans weigh whether to take up the offer, one thing is clear: the city’s financial woes are not just about unpaid bills—they’re about unmet expectations.