Harare City Council (HCC) is in turmoil, with senior executives reportedly scrambling to secure their positions in the wake of a damning commission of inquiry report exposing widespread corruption and mismanagement within the local authority.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed a five-member team, led by retired High Court judge Justice Maphios Cheda, to investigate the operations of the municipality. The commission’s hearings have revealed a catalogue of alleged transgressions, implicating senior officials and some councillors as the primary culprits.
Among the more shocking findings was the revelation that the town clerk was earning a staggering US$27,000 per month, potentially rising to US$30,000 with perks, while the lowest-paid executive was earning US$15,000 monthly – a stark contrast to the dire state of service delivery in the city.
Justice Cheda confirmed the gravity of the report’s findings while presenting it to President Mnangagwa, stating that it detailed serious concerns regarding the conduct of certain senior HCC officials.
“The findings of this commission point towards necessary leadership renewal at Harare City Council,” a local government official familiar with the process said, hinting at the potential for significant changes within the municipality.
According to one council official, the report has triggered widespread panic among implicated managers, with some allegedly seeking supernatural assistance from sangomas to weather the impending storm. “There is panic in council with some managers, who were exposed for corruption all over the place in search of supernatural powers to survive a shake-up,” the official claimed.
The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has called for heads to roll at the municipality, arguing that residents are bearing the brunt of maladministration and corruption. CHRA director, Reuben Akilli, stated that “Firstly, we expect the President to put local government reform on the legislative agenda of the tenth Parliament, considering issues that emanated at the commission are symptomatic of the failure of our local government system.”
Akilli added that the procedures for dismissing elected officials are enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe and should be respected. He also urged elected officials to make resolutions for the dismissal of workers found on the wrong side of the law, guided by the country’s labour laws. “If they are workers found on the wrong side of the law, the elected officials must make resolutions for their dismissal guided by the labour laws of the country,” he said.
Akilli expressed hope that the commission’s recommendations would contribute to strengthening local governance.
Harare Residents Trust coordinator Precious Shumba echoed these sentiments, stating that they were expecting sweeping changes at Harare Town House. “There is a need for the removal of top managers in Grade Three and allow more professional junior staff to clean up the city,” Shumba stressed.
Shumba also highlighted that “Harare City Council has operated without substantive directors in most strategic positions,” and that they were “expecting sweeping changes to the governance architecture at the City of Harare…all those implicated in corruption be it councillors or managers, should be shown the exit door.”
In the wake of the report’s release, HCC officials have remained tight-lipped, awaiting directives from President Mnangagwa.
Despite the widespread corruption allegations, Justice Cheda acknowledged Mayor Jacob Mafume’s commitment to combating corruption within the local authority, describing him as a “lone wolf” in fighting corruption. President Mnangagwa recently praised Mafume, adding that he would remain in his post “forever.”
The investigation comes against a backdrop of severe service delivery collapse in Harare. Cholera is now endemic due to the water supply and sanitation crisis, and frequent sewer blockages lead to raw sewage flowing onto the streets, contaminating water sources.
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