Staff Reporter
The Commission of Inquiry into the governance of Harare City Council has exposed startling allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement, with the city council reportedly collecting a mere US$100 from tuckshops over a four-month period.
Appearing before the commission last Tuesday, Acting Revenue Collection Manager Alfred Guni admitted that tuckshop operators, referred to as “tuckshop barons,” have been exploiting the system by collecting fees on behalf of the council. This practice has raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability.
“We only collected US$100 from tuckshops over four months,” revealed Guni, a statement that left the commission questioning the efficiency of the council’s revenue collection mechanisms.
Guni also disclosed that Harare City Council is being deprived of revenue from its subsidiaries, further compounding the council’s financial woes.
“We are being deprived of our rightful share since some subsidiaries are not paying to us,” he admitted.
The Commission of Inquiry, led by Judge Justice Maphios Cheda, was appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to investigate allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement, and nepotism within the Harare City Council. Since its inception, the inquiry has uncovered a web of irregularities that have contributed to the council’s inability to deliver essential services.
Justice Cheda and his team are tasked with reviewing the council’s operations dating back to 2017, shedding light on systemic failures and holding those responsible accountable. The revelations thus far paint a grim picture of how corruption and mismanagement have hampered the council’s capacity to generate and manage revenue effectively.
The inquiry is set to reconvene on the 16th of this month, with expectations high for more shocking revelations and a potential roadmap to restore good governance in the city council.
As the investigation continues, residents and stakeholders are calling for urgent reforms to address the systemic issues crippling Harare City Council.
