Staff Reporter

Harare City Council (HCC) is grappling with mounting dissatisfaction among residents due to allegations of corruption and a decline in service delivery.

Kambuzuma residents, who shared their grievances with this publication, expressed deep-seated concerns over the deteriorating state of service delivery and the pervasive corruption within HCC.

According to sources, the residents have been confronted with a distressing reality where municipal employees allegedly demand bribes for routine services, exacerbating the already challenging living conditions in the area.

A resident of Kambuzuma has come forward to highlight the council’s apparent failures, shedding light on a concerning pattern of misconduct.

The resident (name withheld) revealed a distressing incident involving a burst pipe at his house.

"When I sought assistance from the Harare City Council, I was initially informed that their service trucks lacked fuel, causing a week-long delay. Subsequent calls revealed a disconcerting chain of events. Despite having fuel and equipment, the council employees demanded payment and said that they could only fix the burst pipes if I paid US$200.00,” said the resident.

Expressing frustration, the resident stated, “With the cholera outbreak looming, we had no choice but to pay the bribe out of fear for our health. It’s disheartening that our safety depends on paying for services that should be readily available, after all, we are already paying the monthly council rates for such services.”

Other residents echoed these complaints, emphasizing persistent issues with litter collection.

Despite the Government’s Operation Chenesa, aimed at addressing cleanliness concerns, residents argue that rubbish remains a widespread problem due to council failure to maintain the clean standards left by Government, posing an environmental and health hazard.

Business owners in Glenview also raised grievances, claiming that before the clean-up initiative, they sought assistance from HCC for waste management.

Mr Enock Samurai, a vegetable vendor said, “Shockingly, the council insisted that we business owners collectively raise funds to provide bins for the shopping areas.”

With citizens expressing frustration over corruption, delayed services, and inadequate waste management, HCC faces growing pressure to address these pressing issues.

Residents are calling for transparency, accountability, and immediate action to rectify the council’s alleged shortcomings to restore public trust.

Efforts by this publication to get a comment from the Harare City Mayor, Jacob Mafume, did not yield any results as his phones went unanswered.