Outrage erupts over ‘forced’ Mbare Market Deal

KUDAKWASHE CHIBVURI

The Harare City Council and Masimba Construction are at the centre of a storm over a controversial and opaque redevelopment deal at Mbare Musika, sparking public outrage and fears that vulnerable vendors are being fleeced under the guise of post-fire reconstruction.

At the heart of the outcry is the absence of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Harare City Council, Masimba Construction, and the national government—an omission that has led to the imposition of steep rental fees of US$580 per month on vendors who lost everything when the market was gutted by fire in October 2024.

Observers and residents suspect that these exorbitant fees are a covert attempt to reimburse Masimba Construction without any formal paper trail. Critics argue that the arrangement bypassed proper tender procedures and may have been forced upon council by powerful actors within the government.

“This deal was imposed on us, and I couldn’t resist it,” Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume admitted during a recent full council meeting.

Sources told Business Times that Masimba Construction’s involvement was directed by the Office of the President and Cabinet under the guise of emergency intervention—declaring the fire a national disaster. However, the move sidestepped procurement laws and left council officials and vendors blindsided.

Denford Ngadziore, chair of the Harare City Council’s Small and Medium Enterprises Committee, conceded that there was no formal agreement in place at the time of the arrangement.

“We agreed to build first and then discuss a Memorandum of Understanding,” Ngadziore said. “Currently, there is nothing finalized, but we aim to establish a beneficial agreement for the city of Harare.”

Ngadziore also revealed that Masimba Construction had already proposed costs and fees, which were not vetted or approved by the council.

“It’s a leaked fee; the council did not approve anything related to these charges,” he added.

Residents and analysts view the deal as part of a broader trend of privatization and central government overreach that has failed to deliver tangible benefits to the community.

Precious Shumba, director of the Harare Residents Trust, accused government of promoting cartel behavior at the expense of municipal authority.

“The Harare Residents Trust has been monitoring how the national government is stripping local authorities, particularly in Harare, of their key functions,” Shumba said. “We note recent efforts where the government has introduced private players to provide goods and services without allowing residents to participate in shaping these offerings.”

Shumba further warned that the absence of an MoU and competitive bidding process signals a deepening agenda to privatize local authority services and consolidate power.

“There is no memorandum of agreement regarding this arrangement. From our perspective at the Harare Residents Trust, this represents a continuation of the centralization of governmental powers and responsibilities,” he said.

“While engaging Masimba Construction is not inherently problematic, the selection process lacked transparency. The arrangement was imposed by the national government without a formal agreement with the Harare City Council. Consequently, traders are likely to bear the financial burden of funding Masimba Construction’s budget.”

He added: “The total cost of the project remains undisclosed, and the methods by which Masimba Construction will recover its investment are unclear. Only a select few—including the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Hon. Daniel Garwe, some officials in the Office of the President, and the Mayor of Harare—seem to understand the full scope of the situation. This lack of transparency is a significant reason for the objections raised.”

Sources say the temporary market currently being built near the Remembrance Council offices is viewed by many as a tactical takeover of the Mbare Market under the cover of emergency reconstruction, sidelining community participation and due process.

Residents argue that this deal reflects a dangerous pattern, rewarding politically connected elites while disenfranchising the city’s most vulnerable.