By Flata Kavinga
The Kwekwe City Council has reduced the interest charged on overdue accounts from five percent to 1.6 percent, a move Mayor Cllr Albert Zinhanga says is aimed at easing the burden on struggling ratepayers.
Zinhanga announced the decision in an interview with journalists shortly after a full council meeting, where councillors adopted the measure as part of broader financial adjustments under the approved 2026 budget.
“Council has reduced the interest charged on overdue debts from five percent to 1.6 percent,” Zinhanga said. “This is meant to give relief to our residents who are finding it difficult to clear their arrears.”
He said the reduction was part of council’s efforts to strike a balance between revenue collection and social responsibility.
“As council, we are aware of the economic challenges that our residents are facing. We want to encourage them to come forward and settle their accounts without feeling overwhelmed by high interest charges,” he said.
The mayor added that the lower interest rate is expected to incentivise payment compliance and improve revenue inflows while offering breathing space to ratepayers.
