By Flata Kavinga
Kwekwe mayor Cllr Albert Zinhanga has urged residents to participate in ongoing consultations for the city’s 2027 budget, saying their contributions will help shape spending priorities and improve service delivery.
Zinhanga said the local authority would visit all wards over the next two weeks, with councillors and representatives from various departments attending meetings to respond to residents’ concerns.
He was speaking at Kwekwe General Hospital during a donation of clothing, baby wrappers, soap, diapers and other essential items by the mayor’s office to two women who gave birth to triplets at the hospital this week.
“We want the people to define the budget they want,” said Zinhanga.
“The approach we are taking this year is that we are going to be visiting all the wards with all the councillors so that every department is represented.”
He said representatives from departments such as finance, works and health would be part of the consultations to address questions raised by residents.
“At the end of the consultative meetings, we will be having a people-driven budget,” he said.
Zinhanga also called for unity among stakeholders, saying cooperation was essential to improving service delivery and advancing the city’s development.
He urged hospital staff and other stakeholders to put aside their differences and prioritise the needs of the community.
“Yes, we can have our personal differences, but there is a time when we need to put our people first. Our people first is the Kwekwe community that you serve,” he said.
