Harare City Council

Harare local government is Harare Municipality.

Service Provision

Most of the key public services in the capital city are run ad administered by the City of Harare. These include health services. In this regard, the city runs and administers key health institutions such as clinics, hospitals and maternity homes in almost every suburb.

Health Facilities

The Harare City Council administers one of the biggest hospitals in Zimbabwe. These include Harare Hospital which is located in the capital. It also has other poly-clinics and maternity centres located in the respective suburbs. The clinics are serviced by professional health staff such as nurses and doctors. These include Rujeko Clinic in the high density surbub of Dzivarasekwa, Kuwadzana Poly-clinic, Harare Hospital, Wilkins Hospital among others.

Academic Institutions

Primary and secondary schools in the Harare Metropolitan Province fall under the Ministry of Education. Besides primary and secondary schools, there are also special needs schools as well as nurseries for children in most suburbs of Harare.

Sports and Recreational Facilities

Workers filling pot-holes in the streets of Harare

These include, stadiums, gymnasiums, basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, cricket fields and netball courts. They are meant to provide the residence with convenient sporting and recreational space.

Sanitary Services

City Workers collecting Refuse

This department is responsible for collecting refuse from the residential as well as industrial areas. It also works with other governments department to make sure that sewage and industrial waste is disposed off from its areas.

Water Supply

The Morton Jaffray water treatment plant is the run by the council. Lake Chivero located on the western side of the city is the largest water source in the city. It contains the bulk of the water that is supplied to the city's suburbs.

Security and Order

Together with the Ministry of Transport, the city council in 2014 opened a new commuter omnibus bay in order to effectively monitor traffic population in its quest to maintain order. The council also maintains order in the central business district especially against vendors and other informal traders who usually brew chaos in the streets.

Kombis

In March 2023, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works announced that passengers who are picked up or dropped off at undesignated stations in and around central business districts of towns and cities, will now be liable to US$30 fines. According to Statutory Instrument 41 of 2016 of the Road Traffic (Traffic Signs and Signals) Regulations, local authorities should ensure that signs are erected to prohibit pedestrians from being picked up and dropped off at undesignated points. Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesman Paul Nyathi, said the standard scale of fines gazetted will be enforced on hitchhikers. The fines in the schedule are expressed in United States dollars but payable in the equivalent Zimbabwe dollars at the prevailing interbank rate. ^[2]

Then in Harare, March 2023, the City of Harare put out the following:

KombiRequirements

Distribution

The city is divided into various districts depending on the location. Each suburb in the district falls under a particular district. Each district is run by a district administrator. Harare has several districts which include, Dzivarasekwa, Borrowdale, Kuwadzana, Highfield, Mabvuku, Mbare, Sunningdale, Mufakose, Tafara and Glen View.^[1]

Demography

Greater Harare or Harare Province which includes Harare Urban (1.5 million), Harare Rural, Chitungwiza and Epworth have a population of about 2.1 million people according to the Census 2012 Preliminary Results by ZIMSTAT. Of this population, 1 million are males and 1.1 million are female.^[1]

Events

Operation Murambatsvina

In 2005, Harare embarked on Operation Murambatsvina to remove vendors and vagrants from the city.

Salarygate/2015 George Smith Report

Since 2012, there have been concerns that the council was offering mega salaries to its leading figures who included the mayor and other directors. The issue was tabled in parliament and the government came to a resolution that the salaries be reduced. In the face of these developments, the general public has argued that the council has made a record of under-performing considering the amount of rates paid by the local population to the authority.^[3]

In December 2017, Harare City Council suspended four senior officials. Acting town clerk Josephine Ncube, health services director Prosper Chonzi, finance director Tendai Kwenda and human capital director Cainos Chingombe were suspended after the report by the Justice George Smith -led tribunal that probed the top officials’ alleged abuse of power. They had awarding themselves “fat cat” salaries above government-imposed caps.

In the interim, director of water Hosea Chisango was acting town clerk. He would write their suspension letters, and appoint acting heads.

According to a Local Government ministry audit (File:George Smith 2015 Audit.pdf), nine executives received unbudgeted bonuses amounting to more than $600 000. It also indicated that 40 executives received education allowances of more than $800 000 as well as holiday leave allowances of more than $300 000. The report also revealed that $282 000 was transferred into executive managers bank accounts from HCC’s Beer Levy and Estates account outside of employment costs. ^[4]

Criticisms

The council has been accused of gross incompetence due to its failure to address issues such as potholes in the streets, poor roads, poor lighting, erratic water supplies, slow allocation of residential stands and mis-management of funds. Furthermore, the council has also been accused of corrupt tendencies especially in the allocation of stands in the residential areas.^[5] The council has also been accused of failing to provide safe drinking water for its residence. In addition, the city's traffic department has also been accused of milking motorists due to its high exhorbitant penalties for offenders. The city has also been marred by poor sanitary, illegal dumbing and sewage bursts which have given Harare a bad reputation.

Water

HCC reported on the Water Supply Status, of 30 August 2022. Water supplies are expected to improve as chemical stocks improve and other mechanisms for equitable distribution are being explored. The local government makes the statement as residents have spent days, some weeks, without water with the city fathers citing “unprecedented chemical supply challenges.”

The City of Harare is advising residents and stakeholders that water production at Morton Jaffray averaged 230 megalitres and Prince Edward 80 mega litres giving a total of 310ML over the past 24 hours.

Western suburbs of Dzivarasekwa, Kuwadzana, Glenview and Glen Norah are accessing water with low pressure, especially in elevated areas. Westlea, Warren Park and Kambuzuma accessed water although pressure was low. Budiriro will start receiving water on Thursday in some areas. Pindula News ^[6]

Rufaro Stadium

In November 2022, Dynamos Football Club was critical of the state of Rufaro Stadium in Mbare. An agreement between Harare City Council and Sakunda Holdings had a deal to refurbish Rufaro Stadium, however the company withdrew from the partnership due to “untruthful and malicious allegations” emanating from the local authority. ^[7]

In March 2023, pictures were shown of the refurbishment of Rufaro Stadium in Mbare by Harare City Council. It is the second biggest stadium and is generally regarded as Zimbabwe‘s home of football. ^[8]

Pomona Dump deal

Council resolves to cancel deal, August 2022

In August 2022, Harare City Council resolved to cancel the Pomona waste management deal. They also disregarded Local Government minister July Moyo’s order that council pay a US$1,5 million bill due to Geogenix BV for services rendered in May and June at the Pomona waste management energy plant. Mayor Jacob Mafume confirmed that the local authority had cancelled the Pomona deal, saying Moyo must go to court if he was unhappy.

A week before, Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) filed an urgent High Court application seeking an order to set aside a resolution to use the city’s devolution funds to pay Georgenix. CHRA was represented by Archford Rutanhira and Evans Moyo of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). ^[9]

ZITA Award

In December 2022, the Zimbabwe Integrated Traders Association (ZITA) gave controversial businessman Delish Nguwaya with a special Innovative Business Award in recognition of his leading role in the Pomona Waste Management project. Under the deal, City of Harare was to pay US$22 000 per day or an estimated US$1 million a month to Gegenix BV fronted by Dilesh Nguwaya for the next 30 years. ^[10]

2023 Councillors Report

A CoH Councillors investigation into the Pomona Dump deal, has revealed that it would cost the City of Harare over US$1 billion while the city would derive revenue of US$60.39 million from the sale of electricity. The total cost of the project to City of Harare over the period of 30 years period will be US$1,002,202,001.65.

The report showed that the City of Harare was not allowed full involvement in the deal which was imposed on Harare by the Local Government ministry. The contract was evaluated by the Public Private Partnership (PPP) unit in the Finance ministry. And due diligence was not followed in awarding Geogenix BV, formerly Integrated Energy BV, the contract to operate the Pomona dumpsite. The PPP unit was established in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development by section 34 of the Zimbabwe Investment Development Agency Act [Chapter 14:37]. ^[11]

Football

See Harare City.

In May 2023, the Harare City Council stopped funding Harare City, the football team, pending an internal audit. Irregularities in the football club’s operations were cited. Also, the Harare City Council lacked funds. Many residents have been saying football is not the responsibility of the council. Harare City football club was draining council funds which should have been channeled towards improving service delivery. At one point Harare City football Club required more than half a million United States dollars annually. Harare City women’s team is in the topflight league.

All funding will cease with immediate effect until such anomaly is corrected. When an interim executive will be put in place to conduct and also consider whether it is necessary to keep funding a football club at this point. It might not be necessary but we have to look into that. “An audit must also be instituted as to the use of funds that they have been given. For the avoidance of doubt the people that have been relieved are the current executive and even its secretariat. Our mayoral mansion where that club is housed must as of immediate effect be returned back to the city and municipal police must be put there.

said Mafume. ^[12]

Suspended Directors Petition 2023

The petition was given to Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume in June 2023 by Glen View residents. It notes, with anger, that the City of Harare has been paying full salaries to 6 Directors who are on suspension on corruption charges. The unresolved labour cases and issues have been hemorrhaging financial resources from the City of Harare. (This has been) through payment of salaries and allowances (fuel, data and holiday) for senior management workers on suspension who are not offering any service to the local authority.

Former Human Capital Director Cainos Chingombe and Finance Director Tendai Kwenda were suspended in 2017. Meanwhile, Director of Works Zvenyika Chawatama was also suspended with full benefits in 2021. He was accused of masquerading as the Town Clerk. However, the actual Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango was also suspended over abuse of office charges. Chsango appeared in court on charges of criminal abuse of duty after allegedly firing a subordinate to cover up investigations on illegal land deals, and has since been exonerated of the cases. Also suspended were Director of Housing Addmore Nhekairo and Town Planner Samuel Nyabezi. The suspension of these Directors meant that Harare had only one substantive Director, Prosper Chonzi.

The suspensions had to appoint temporary officials, which meant that it was paying twice for a single position. ^[13]

Former Directors Jailed

In June 2023, Harare City Council’s Finance Director Stanley Ndemera and Chamber Secretary Charles Kandemiri were given six years jail terms each. They were found guilty of criminal abuse of office charges. Initially, the two were jointly charged with former mayor Herbert Gomba and town clerk Engineer Hosea Chisango. However, these two were acquitted on the same charges by Justice Pisirai Kwenda.

The two sold Mount Pleasant Sports Club and golf course in Vainona. Hardspec Investments bought the stand for $23 923 340 while the club was quoted as worth US$2,3 million. They sold the council-owned property without proper procedure. ^[14]

Ian Makone Elected as Mayor, 2023

On 11 September 2023, Ian Makone (Cllr Ward 18) was elected as Mayor of Harare, with deputy Mayor Kudzai Kadzombe (Cllr Ward 41). The CCC won 42 of Harare’s 45 council seats. The CCC has 10 other women’s quota councillors while Zanu PF has four. Makone polled 46 votes while challenger Temany Utete of Zanu PF received seven. Kadzombe won 47 votes to beat Zanu PF’s Susan Chuma, who had seven. ^{[15] [16] [17]}

In a comment from the Business Times, it was noted that Ian Makone was a “mature” character who might address challenges at the City of Harare, specifically corruption. It was noted that Makone lost the 2018 election for Mayor, to Herbert Gomba. Since then, Gumba and Jacob Mafume have been arrested, with allegations of land theft and fraud.

It was claimed Makone was perfect for the job. He was a capable, mature and competent person. He has corporate experience and Harare is a corporate entity on its own. Makone has over 40 years’ experience in the corporate sector and served as a senior executive at the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and served as Chief Executive of Manica Group giving him vast experience in the corporate sector. Two former Mayors, Bernard Manyenyeni and Muchadeyi Masunda said Makone’s appointment was good for the city.

His wife is Theresa Makone, a former co-Minister of Home Affairs in GNU. ^[18]

Further Reading

References