The Justice Cheda-led Commission of Inquiry into the operations of the Harare City Council (HCC) has exposed shocking levels of mismanagement and financial irresponsibility within the opposition-led local authority. At a time when service delivery in Harare has reached crisis levels, the council has been found to be wasting public funds on excessive salaries and duplicated roles, leaving residents to suffer the consequences of failing infrastructure and poor services.
The inquiry revealed that two top officials within the council are being paid between $26,000 and $27,000 USD each for performing the same duties, a blatant display of gross negligence and financial abuse. This comes as basic services such as waste collection, water supply, and road maintenance continue to deteriorate, with residents bearing the brunt of the council’s incompetence.
Rather than prioritizing the urgent needs of the city, the opposition-led HCC has instead focused on self-enrichment and redundant bureaucratic structures, while roads remain potholed, refuse piles up in neighborhoods, and water shortages persist. Ratepayers, who contribute their hard-earned money in the hope of receiving essential services, are being betrayed by a leadership that appears more interested in personal gain than in the well-being of the people.
The findings of the inquiry highlight a disgraceful abuse of public trust, exposing a council that has failed in its mandate. The question that must be asked is: How can HCC justify paying astronomical salaries to officials while service delivery continues to collapse? The answer is clear—this is a leadership that has lost touch with the people it is meant to serve.
The time has come for the residents of Harare to demand accountability. The Government, under the leadership of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, should intervene and install a commission to oversee council operations until proper governance is restored. Meanwhile, private sector initiatives like Geo Pomona, which has significantly improved garbage collection in some suburbs, demonstrate that efficient service delivery is possible when resources are properly managed.
The people of Harare deserve better than an administration that continues to loot public funds at the expense of residents. The findings of the inquiry should serve as a wake-up call—enough is enough. It is time for action, accountability, and a return to responsible leadership in Harare.
