By JOHN SAKALA
Kapiri Mposhi Town Council has approved K43 million budget for the 2020 civic year.
The special council which was held on Friday, December 6, 2019 approved the budget which was presented by Councillor Proscardness Mwiinga, Chairperson for Finance, Business Valuation and Undertaking Committee.
Mr Mwiinga stated in her report that the Council is going to spend K14 Million of the total budget on service provision in the District for the year 2020.
She said as per ministerial guidelines at least 40 percent of the locally generated revenue must be provided to cutter for service in the District.
“The Council has allocated K11 million under Capital Projects for procurement of earth moving equipment, farm establishment, extension of Kapiri Executive Council Lodge construction of a Fire Station, street lighting and construction of a Council hotel.
“In line with the 7th National Development plan and the Vision 2030 government has embarked on infrastructure development. In this regard, we have allocated K11 million towards capital projects for the year 2020. Included in this amount is Constituency Development Fund (CDF) amounting K1, 600, 000 to be spent on capital projects in the constituency,” she said.
Ms Mwiinga said that the Council is expected to raise over K20 million from local taxes, fees and charges that consist of personal levy, property rates from residential, commercial, industrial, mining, plant and hydro power stations giving 73 percent of the total budget.
She said the Council is expecting to receive K10, million grant from the central government which includes grant in lieu of rates and the Local Government Equalization Fund.
“The financial position for Kapiri Mposhi Town Council for the year 2019 was not so good after the revocation of the Statutory Instrument No. 60 of 2006. This statute empowered the Council to collect Transit Goods Levy at Luanshimba and Old weigh bridge check points. The Council has since faced a lot of financial challenges,” she said.
This is according to a media statement made available by Kapiri Mposhi Town Council Public Relations Officer Chris Mulaliki.
The budget is subject to Minister’s approval.
