Harare on the brink

KUDAKWASHE CHIBVURI

Harare is crumbling.

Once celebrated as the Sunshine City, Zimbabwe’s capital has now become a battlefield of corruption, deception, and violence.

The Commission of Inquiry into Harare’s affairs, appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, concluded its hearings this week, exposing a staggering web of looting, lies, and intimidation at Town House.

Billions of dollars have vanished. Officials live in fear. Guns have become part of city governance. The extent of the rot is staggering—and now, all eyes are on President Mnangagwa.

The Commission, led by retired Judge Justice Maphios Cheda, has laid bare Harare’s deep-seated corruption, painting local authority not as a governing institution, but as a crime scene  with Mayor Jacob Mafume leading a pack of elected officials while Hosea Chisango and Phalamile Mabhena Moyo took turns to act as Town Clerks.

The cartel, it was heard that has hijacked municipal governance, turning the city into a personal cash machine.

Legal structures have been sidelined, millions looted, and accountability erased.

Mafume’s public humiliation came when he misled the commission about his Greendale property—suspected to have been bought with illicit funds. During an inspection, he led investigators not to his residence, but to a car dealership owned by a Mr. Pfukwa.

The deception was so blatant that the commission fined him US$300 and forced him to apologise—cementing his image as a dishonest leader.

Lies, deceipt and the ultimate Mayoral apology

Mayor Jacob Mafume appeared before the commission and provided vital insights into the operations.

 He admitted that looting was rampant at Town House, even in council subsidiaries, where millions were siphoned. But despite his admissions, he was widely named as an impediment  at Town House and a cartel leader acting as an executive Mayor against the dictates of the law.

The Town Clerk, executive assistant to the Town Clerk,  Matthew Marara, and several senior officials testified against him, portraying him as the mastermind of a well-oiled looting machine.

But the moment of ultimate disgrace came when Mafume was pressed about his suspected Greendale property. Under suspicion of corruption, he was asked to take the commission to his house. Instead, he directed them to a car dealership. The commissioners were enraged, and Mafume was forced to apologize profusely—a moment that left residents questioning whether a known liar should remain in office.

Guns, death threats at Town House

Harare’s toxic political environment is evident—so much so that top city officials are arming themselves.

Former military officer Matthew Marara, now an executive assistant to the Town Clerk, admitted to carrying a gun to protect himself and his boss from the mayor’s cartel.

Even more shocking, John Ulete, a Mafume-aligned official at Rufaro Marketing—a council entity riddled with corruption—allegedly pulled a gun on a senior official during a heated meeting.

For those who dare expose corruption, the risks are deadly.

Bosman Matengarufu, the acting Human Capital Director, recounted in the commission experiences of death threats, a near-assassination, and even poisoning as cartels attempted to silence him.

Speculation surrounds the mysterious death of Machipisa, a former District Administration Manager who had threatened to expose rampant corruption. He died under suspicious circumstances last year, with his family suspecting foul play. In a letter dated July 9, 2024, he detailed being targeted for opposing councillors’ interests in residential stands in affluent neighborhoods rather than their own wards.

Suspended Harare Town Clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango echoed these sentiments, characterizing the atmosphere at Town House as toxic and accusing Mayor Jacob Mafume of leading a cartel and exercising unconstitutional powers for personal gain. In such a perilous landscape, the truth often lies buried, but it may rise again.

Billions Squandered

Billions have been squandered year after year, with officials and councillors taking turns to loot council resources. The absence of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system has been manipulated to facilitate this looting, resulting in a loss of $270 million from 2019 to date, according to the Harare Mayor’s testimony. Council officials reportedly receive salaries ranging from $13,000 to $27,000 monthly, while a trip to Victoria Falls alone saw officials squander $2 billion.

Council entities that once generated millions have been crippled by cartels, with $4 million reported missing from Harare Quarry, described as a “den of thieves.” City Parking has expanded operations in Gweru but failed to remit funds, suffering losses after extending operations to Ghana and Zambia. Rufaro Marketing, which once generated $500,000, has significantly reduced its remittances. The blame game continues, with councillors also siphoning funds through workshops outside Harare, unaccounted for by $66 million.

Residents Angry Over Town House Mess

Residents have expressed their frustration over service delivery, with many furious about the officials squandering funds at their expense. Resident associations have commended the commission’s work, stating they have been raising these issues for years, and their trust in the commission has grown. Harare residents are losing confidence in the City of Harare’s financial management, as records reveal millions being looted, ending up in officials’ pockets while services remain unrendered. The council operates without an ERP system, further complicating the management of properties and revenue. Reuben Akili, Director of the Combined Harare Residents Trust Association, noted that most council funds are disappearing into officials’ pockets, creating significant unrest in the community.

Precious Shumba, Director of the Harare Residents Trust, described Harare as a “crime scene” where incompetence is both sanitized and celebrated. Policymakers loot council resources without consequences, and the Commission’s findings are expected to put an end to this impunity. The community is closely following the hearings and is taken aback by the magnitude of the looting revealed.

 All Eyes Now on ED

Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe has warned that significant consequences await corrupt council officials. He highlighted that the City of Harare has become a “feeding trough” for corrupt practices. The government’s dissatisfaction is evident, particularly as the President’s decision to appoint a commission underscores his displeasure with the city’s management. Garwe acknowledged that corruption within city of harare has led to ongoing struggles in providing basic services, leading to pressing issues in solid and liquid waste management.

“Heads will roll”

The ruling Zanu PF party has claimed that President Mnangagwa holds the key to the City Council’s survival amidst growing corruption revelations. Supa Mandiwanzira, Secretary for Local Government and Devolution in the Politburo, criticized the City of Harare’s operations, acknowledging residents’ use of derogatory terms to describe its performance. He expressed confidence in President Mnangagwa’s leadership, emphasizing that the survival of the City of Harare ultimately rests with the President.

 Ineffective Advisory Entities

The City Council faces a leadership crisis, as many councillors lack the necessary qualifications for their roles. This incompetence has facilitated the siphoning of substantial funds, as revelations show that many councillors heading crucial committees lack even the most basic educational qualifications. Various committee chairs have demonstrated alarming ignorance regarding their responsibilities, often approving measures they do not comprehend.

Council Audit Committee Chair Blessing Duma admitted to being unprepared, describing the council’s financial records as “in shambles.” His unfamiliarity with the audits he was supposed to oversee raised serious concerns about oversight. Similarly, Councillor Takudzwa Dzumbunu, chair of the Works and Town Planning Committee, faced legal repercussions for misrepresenting her academic qualifications and was fined $300 dollars.

The mismanagement at Town House is evident in the chaotic housing waiting list and financial disarray, with numerous councillors and officials now facing corruption charges. While their primary role is to provide policy direction and leadership, many have become either active participants or passive observers in the ongoing looting.

Some councillors have openly acknowledged their status as figureheads at Town House, lacking real influence or authority. Makuwerere, a council member, referred to Harare Quarry as a “den of thieves,” highlighting ongoing unchecked corruption. Finance Committee Chair Costa Mande confirmed the turmoil, noting that the council failed to account for $105 million in trade and other payables. This mismanagement has resulted in the conviction of high-profile figures, largely because of ignorance.

Mande struggled to justify millions spent on workshops in the first half of the year, claiming ignorance of a $370,000 payment to former official Matthew Marara despite Marara’s alleged resignation. His lack of accountability underscores the chaos within the council.

Councillor Blessing Muroiwa, chairman of the Education, Health, Housing, and Community Services Licensing Committee, displayed a concerning lack of knowledge regarding housing policies. He admitted before the Commission that the housing list had not been properly maintained since he took office in September 2022, allowing individuals to fall through the cracks.