Staff Reporter
Harare City Council is under intense scrutiny for defying a directive from the Local Government Board to realign executive salaries and grading structures with Government-approved frameworks.
Despite a clear order declaring the current salary scheme null and void, senior officials at Town House continue to draw massive salaries—raising eyebrows among ratepayers amidst declining service delivery in the capital.
Last month, it emerged that the city was spending approximately US$500,000 monthly on executive salaries, with the town clerk reportedly earning up to US$30,000 when perks are factored in. The lowest-paid executive takes home not less than US$15,000 monthly—figures that have not been approved by the Local Government Board.
At the centre of the controversy is Acting Human Capital Development Director, Bossman Mutengarufu, who has come under fire for allegedly stalling the restructuring process.
Mayor Jacob Mafume has expressed deep frustration over the delays and lack of transparency, saying the council is knowingly operating under an illegal salary structure.
“They were considerate enough to notify us and expected action—not silence. At the very least, a formal report should have been brought to the committee, outlining the implications and recommending corrective steps. This is a serious governance issue,” said Mayor Mafume.
Tensions escalated last week during a special council meeting where Mr Mutengarufu initially denied receiving the directive from the Local Government Board. However, it was later revealed that he had been handed the letter by the acting Town Clerk. Confronted with the evidence, he issued an apology for misleading the council.
Some councillors accused senior executives of intentionally dragging their feet to preserve their lucrative salary packages, in open defiance of the law.
“We will not allow this matter to be swept under the rug. The directive is clear—the current grading system is invalid and must be restructured immediately,” said one councillor.
Meanwhile, Mutengarufu is also under fire for conducting closed-door interviews for top council positions, in breach of a council resolution that requires interviews for Grades 1 to 3 to be publicised in mainstream media. He claimed that the Local Government Board had banned public interviews, but councillors refuted this, saying only the composition of the interview panel was changed—not the transparency requirement.
As the council faces mounting pressure to reform, residents and stakeholders are demanding accountability and urgent alignment with national standards—warning that failure to act could compromise the city’s governance integrity even further.
