Tinotenda Hove – Anger is mounting among Masvingo residents following the City Council’s controversial decision to set a steep exchange rate of 34 ZiG to 1 US dollar for paying rates and municipal services — a rate significantly above the official bank rate of 27 ZiG.

The move has triggered widespread criticism from residents, who say the council is exploiting them and manipulating the foreign currency system to their disadvantage. Many argue the imposed rate is not only unjustified but also economically punitive, forcing those who pay electronically in ZiG to suffer huge losses.

“This is nothing short of daylight robbery,” one resident said. “They’re using a rate higher than the black market. How are we expected to survive when the council is working against us?”

Critics have accused the City Council of violating government policy, which recommends public institutions stick to the official exchange rate. However, the council defends its decision, citing the recently gazetted Statutory Instrument 34 of 2025, which it claims allows flexibility in exchange rate usage.

Residents are not convinced. They argue that the council’s actions will lead to non-payment of rates, disconnections of essential services like water, and ultimately infringe on their constitutional rights.

Section 77(a) of the Zimbabwean Constitution clearly states that every person has the right to safe, clean, and potable water — a right the council risks undermining through policies that alienate the very people it is meant to serve.

Community watchdog Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) has urged city officials to abandon their combative stance and engage with residents to agree on a fair, inclusive rate structure.

“The council must swallow its pride and listen to the people,” said a MURRA representative. “We need policies that enable residents to pay and ensure service delivery, not ones that push people further into hardship.”

The message from residents is clear: fairness, transparency, and meaningful consultation must take precedence over arbitrary decisions.