Councillors connive with managers to loot, inquiry told

CCC Harare councillors this week appeared to admit that they are working in cahoots with the city’s management to loot council funds.

Suburban Reporter

Appearing before the Commission of Inquiry into the Governance of the Harare City, the council’s human resources and general purposes committee chairperson Councillor George Mujajati conceded that the councillors are working with management to siphon funds from the local authority.

Quizzed by the commission’s evidence leader Mr Thabani Vusa Mpofu, Clr Mujajati said the councillors connived with the management to make irregular recruitment of officials, land dealings and workshops that have bled the council of millions.

The councillors and management admitted to paying off US$300 000 to former human resources manager Mathew Marare before re-admitting him under obscure circumstances to occupy dual positions this year. Mr Marara allegedly created a non-existent post in council structures grade 1A giving himself the title assistant town clerk.

“I tried to find out how this became so. In 2023 there was a council resolution that created the position that Marara should be given any amount that came out from that meeting.

“One of the issues was that the acting HR director, Mr Marara, was carrying two portfolios. One, the acting HR director and also a position which was described as the executive assistant town clerk,” said Clr Mujajati.

Cllr Mujajati also struggled to answer accusations of targeted staff transfers to stifle investigations into possible corrupt dealings at the Town House.

Serious victimisation and reshuffling of key personnel in the housing and legal departments has been the order of the day at Harare City Council as councillors working in cahoots with management try to undermine the Commission of Inquiry.

Among those targeted are housing and community services deputy director for human services Dr Fanny Machipisa and the acting legal manager Mr Ernest Mushava who are reportedly refusing to cover tracks of some corrupt deeds.

After yesterday’s hearings, Mr Mpofu as the evidence leader explained the processes of the commission.

“It commenced in June, and it was given six months to complete its work, and after the six months, the Commission must, within three months, submit a report to His Excellency President Mnangagwa. The process is proceeding very well. The anticipation is that it will be complete before the six months,” he said.

Mr Mpofu stressed that the commission was not a court of law.

“It is not a trial. None of the persons appearing before this Commission are accused persons. They are here to assist the commission to discharge its terms of reference as given to it by His Excellency (the President),” he said.

Mr Mpofu said even former Harare mayor Muchadei Masunda, councillors, council officials including directors in various departments have given evidence.

“Generally, its procedure is that members of the public and anyone interested can submit affidavits or information to the chairman, who then decides which of these witnesses appear before him and his commission to give further evidence.

“And so far, I must say that the commission has received overwhelming public support in terms of cooperation. We have had evidence from members of the public,” he said.