Harare Council’s Priorities Exposed Amidst Rising Corruption Concerns

Storm clouds are gathering in Harare’s halls of power as city council members sharply criticised senior municipal administration for what they saw as their own enrichment and preference for opulent perks above pressing service delivery. Already simmering beneath the surface, the tension erupted earlier this week at a full council meeting as council members let loose with their frustrations over the way the city is being handled.

The human resources committee chairperson, George Mujajati, was at the vanguard of this rant, making it apparent that management had lost touch with their responsibilities. His remarks brought to light an unsettling pattern in which management appeared more focused on purchasing luxury cars than making sure that service vehicles had access to fuel, which is essential to the upkeep of crucial infrastructure.

This is a cruel irony. The city’s basic services—water, garbage management, drainage upkeep—are either completely disregarded or severely neglected while fancy cars idle in parking lots. This mismatch in priorities is indicative of a larger culture of luxury and lack of accountability among managers. And the numbers support that.

Denford Ngadziore, the council member representing Ward 16 in Mabelreign, went a step further and demanded a lifestyle audit to determine whether the management’s lavish lifestyle is even slightly justified. Residents who live with the burden of these inadequacies on a daily basis find resonance in Ngadziore’s call for a shake-up, given the city’s disintegrating infrastructure and basic services like sewage systems.

A commission of inquiry’s discovery of corruption presents an even more alarming picture. Significant mismanagement and corruption have been found since 2017 as a result of the investigation into the operations of the Harare council, and prominent officials have been linked to illicit activities. A highly suspicious US$9.2 million tender that further entangled council leaders with businesspeople affiliated to the Zanu PF is one of the most prominent scandals.

It should come as no surprise that acting town clerk Hosiah Chisango was just suspended by mayor Jacob Mafume due to these same accusations. During the discussion, Mafume expressed his own displeasure by berating the business development section for taking too long to complete important energy projects. His call for prompt action on the city’s solar energy plan is a reflection of the general frustration felt when necessary progress is hampered by bureaucratic slowness.

The wasted chance is even more perplexing. Mafume’s concentration on harnessing solar energy, which is a plentiful resource in Harare, has the potential to drastically lower the city’s energy expenses. Rather, Harare is trailing behind due to a lack of urgency and hesitation, whereas rural areas are leading the way in solar growth. This circumstance highlights a wider problem in the city’s management, where complacency has eclipsed ambition.

The problem is not just energy-related. Deep differences exist within the council, as seen by the argument among councillors over the leasing of the Shawasha grounds in Mbare. Ngadziore and his followers are among those who favour renting the fields to private parties so they may build the infrastructure that the 4,000 vendors in the region sorely require. Conversely, opposition to this plan suggests a continuing conflict on the destiny of the city’s open areas.

A more general query concerning accountability and leadership in Harare’s government is at the heart of these talks. It’s getting harder and harder for city dwellers to trust the people in charge due to growing accusations of corruption, misplaced priorities, and stagnation on important initiatives.

It is even more important for the city to have transparent and accountable leadership as it tackles these urgent issues. The future of Harare rests on a change from the existing luxury and self-serving culture to one that prioritises the needs of its people. It is unclear if this leadership will come from inside the present council, but it is impossible to ignore the swelling chorus of discontent.

The continuous shortcomings of the council are a mirror of structural problems in Zimbabwe’s wider governance institutions, where mismanagement, corruption, and power frequently collide to the disadvantage of common people. Once renowned for its order and vibrancy, Harare today faces the threat of falling even farther into disrepair unless immediate action is made to refocus its goals.

More: The Zim Bulletin