Chipata City Council has unveiled its 56 million kwacha budget for the year 2020.
Finance Committee Chairperson Naphitali Banda presented the budget during the Special Council meeting held in the Council Chamber in Chipata today.
Mr Banda said that 56 million 4 hundred and 19 thousand and 52 kwacha is the total estimate for the 2020 budget for Chipata City Council.
He said that 19 million 2 hundred and 7 thousand kwacha has been allocated to service provision while 8 million 8 hundred and 96 thousand has been allocated to Capital expenditure.
Mr Banda said that 30 thousand kwacha has been allocated to Ward Development Fund.
And Mr Banda said that the Council has proposed to introduce motorcycle levy and that owners will have to pay 50 kwacha per year or 4 kwacha per month.
Mr Banda said that the move is aimed at increasing the revenue base for the council.
And during debate, Kanjala Ward Councilor William Phiri expressed disappointment with the 2020 budget, stating that it has only increased by 6 hundred thousand kwacha from the 2019 budget.
Mr Phiri said that he expected the budget estimate to increase in revenue collection since the council has had difficulties in paying its workers in 2019 due to low revenue collection.
Meanwhile Chipata Mayor Sinoya Mwale asked Mr Phiri to withdraw the word “disappointed” and use a better word which the Kanjala ward Councillor refused.
Mr Mwale then ordered Mr Phiri to move out of the chamber for refusing to retract the word which he felt was not good for the meeting.