Harare extends rates discount to March 7 to back Smart City plan

Harare Town House — Harare rates discount announcement

The City of Harare has extended its municipal rates discount period to 7 March 2026, giving households and businesses extra time to settle accounts while benefiting from reduced charges. The extension is part of the city’s revenue‑mobilisation strategy to fund service delivery, infrastructure rehabilitation, and digital projects under the “Harare, A Smart City of Choice by 2030” initiative.

Extension details and payment options

Town Clerk Engineer Phakamile Moyo announced the deadline extension in an official statement, urging ratepayers to use the additional window to clear outstanding balances. The municipality accepts payments through multiple channels:

• Bank deposits into designated municipal accounts

• Mobile money platforms, including EcoCash and OneWallet

• Online payments via the City’s payment portal

Residents can check their account balances using the City’s automated systems and request bills by email.

Purpose and expected benefits

The extended discount period aims to:

• Boost revenue collection to finance essential municipal services and capital works

• Reduce arrears by making payments more convenient and accessible

• Support the Smart City agenda by generating funds for digitalisation and infrastructure upgrades

“Let us continue to support the ‘Harare, A Smart City of Choice by 2030’ vision by paying our bills and rates,” Eng Moyo said, urging collective participation to accelerate planned improvements.

What ratepayers should know

• The discounted rates apply only until 7 March 2026; payments made after that date will be charged at standard rates and may attract penalties.

• Multiple payment channels are available to suit different preferences and capabilities.

• Ratepayers with billing queries or who need assistance can contact the City’s customer service or use the automated balance‑check tools.

Business intelligence perspective

From a fiscal management viewpoint, the extension is a pragmatic short‑term measure to shore up municipal finances while longer‑term revenue reforms are implemented. Improved collections will help stabilise service delivery and create fiscal space for the digital investments that underpin the Smart City strategy.

Harare rates discount March 2026