Political Reporter 

There is reportedly a clandestine plot by some Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members and councillors aimed at undermining the tenure of Harare Mayor, Advocate Jacob Mafume, with the intention of sabotaging his ability to discharge his mayoral duties effectively.

A source close to the matter revealed that a faction within the CCC, including prominent figures like Ward 43 councillor, Blessing Duma and CCC Harare Taskforce leader, Eric Murai, were plotting daily to destabilize Mayor Mafume's tenure.

The source said that CCC councillors, particularly Duma, were engaged in clandestine caucuses aiming to either remove Mafume from office or disrupt his official duties.

The same source claimed that these actions were driven by an assertion that Mafume is considered a "Sengezo Tshabangu blue-eyed boy," enjoying preferential treatment within that party.

"It's not just Duma; Murai is spearheading this campaign against Mafume, aiming to mobilize other CCC members and councillors in Harare to reject Mafume's authority,” the source stated.

According to the source, Murai wanted his brother-in-law, Denford Ngadziore, to be the new Harare Mayor so that they could have control of the city’s assets.

"The reason why Murai is fighting Mafume is that he wanted his brother-in-law, Denford Ngadziore to have control of the council and benefit from some deals. This is about personal gains and not the interests of the citizens," added the source.

The source continued, "Murai used unprintable words against Mafume during a recent meeting, vowing that is better for Harare to descend into chaos preferable than having Mafume at the helm of the city."

Internal fissures within the CCC have led to Harare having several mayors within a short space of time since August 2023.

Initially led by Ian Makone, the city saw subsequent replacements with Lovejoy Chitengu and now Advocate Jacob Mafume. The continuous power struggle threatens not only the stability of the mayoral office but also the service delivery at a crucial time when Harare has become the hotbed of the cholera pandemic.

As tensions rise within the CCC, Harare residents are left grappling with the uncertainty of leadership, questioning that party's ability to unite and lead the city forward