by Grace Chekai
The mayor of the City of Harare, Councillor Herbert Gomba has been picked up by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) from his home in Glen Norah, today in connection with murky land deals and abuse of office.
According to a source at Town House, Gomba`s rap sheet ranged from shady land deals to abuse of office in which he is accused of influencing the awarding of tenders to a company owned by a senior MDC member, Ben Chiondegwa.
The source said Ben Chiondegwa was the managing director of Conplant, the company which has been awarded most lucrative City of Harare deals.
“The mayor is facing 17 counts of corruption involving illicit land deals in which he unprocedurally sold more than 10 service station stands to Chiondegwa across the city. Gomba also illegally sold other industrial, and residential stands in the northern suburbs,” said the source.
The source said one of the city employees who was also arrested last week on allegations of land deals and abuse of office, Deputy Director of Housing, Edgar Dzehonye, claimed that he had memorandums in his possession, where the mayor directed him to write offer letters to his colleagues and friends.
He added that more councillors were expected to be picked up in connection with the similar charges, this week. Some of the councillors expected to be arrested are Hammy Madzingira (Sunningdale), Happymore Gotora (Avondale), Costa Mande (Kambuzuma) and Lovemore Mkuwerere (Highfield).
In the past week, some Harare City senior employees were arrested for illegal land dealings and abuse of office.
The city’s Housing Director, Admore Nhekairo, his Deputy, Edgar Dzehonye, Human Resources Director and former Housing Director Matthew Marara and Housing Assistant, Aaron Taerera were also arrested.
The opposition party is on record blaming Government and the ruling party ZANU PF of corruption. However, the MDC-led councils have been dogged by cases of corruption, which have threatened to destroy the cities.
Earlier this year, in January, the MDC-Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa appointed Advocate Thabani Mpofu as the Chairperson of Accountability and Integrity Panel (AIP) to investigate the conduct of business by Harare City Council councillors, but to date, the opposition party has not singled out, even one councillor in these corruption undertakings.
