Dexter Nduna wants to wrestle Harare, Bulawayo parking contracts

In a controversial move, Zanu-PF's resource mobilization and revenue generation chairperson, Dexter Nduna, has directed the city councils of Harare and Bulawayo to terminate their contracts with private parking firms. This directive paves the way for Nduna's company, Team Chapter, to assume control over parking operations, a move he claims will generate revenue for the ruling party.

Earlier this year, Nduna announced the establishment of Team Chapter, asserting that it would manage parking in Harare and provide essential funds for the party. However, his directives have raised eyebrows among legal experts, who question the legitimacy of his authority to issue such orders to municipal governments.

In letters sent to the town clerks of both cities, Nduna accused the current parking management firms of failing to remit funds intended for road rehabilitation. He claimed that his company, the National Eye Security Company, is better suited to manage parking, alleging that the existing firms have misused public funds - a charge that the companies have firmly denied.

"My name is Dexter Nduna, and I humbly request that you take steps to terminate your agreement with City Park (Private) Limited, which is currently collecting parking fees in Harare's central business district," Nduna wrote to the Harare town clerk. He further stated, "The company is not remitting the monies, which are public funds meant for road maintenance, to the Ministry of Transport."

Nduna also mentioned that he had sought information from the parking company under Section 62 of the Constitution, which grants access to public information, but received an unsatisfactory response. He urged the councils to collaborate with his company for parking fee collection, emphasizing that these funds should support road infrastructure development.

According to Nduna, Harare alone collects approximately US$1 million per day from over 100,000 parking spaces. He ominously suggested that unaccounted funds could be diverted to support "terrorism and opposition politics," which he claims aim to destabilize the government.

Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume dismissed Nduna's allegations, labeling them as lacking legal foundation. "We receive a lot of letters from individuals who attend night school and learn a few words," Mafume remarked, highlighting the absurdity of Nduna's claims. Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart indicated that he would review the situation with the town clerk.

Legal experts have criticized Nduna's approach, asserting that it constitutes an overreach of his authority. Legal analyst Aaron Hamauswa commented, "Nduna has no legal power to order the termination of contracts between city councils and private firms. While concerns about public funds are valid, his approach is both unlawful and unethical." He emphasized that Section 62 of the Constitution grants individuals the right to access public information, not the authority to dictate government operations.

Hamauswa further urged Nduna to provide concrete evidence to support his allegations of fund misappropriation by the parking firms. His attempts to take over parking management in Zimbabwe's two largest cities have sparked concerns about potential conflicts of interest and raised questions about the motives behind his accusations regarding the use of parking revenues for political purposes.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa appointed Nduna to spearhead Zanu-PF's resource mobilization efforts in July, with a focus on generating revenue from various sectors, including mining, agriculture, and business enterprises. Nduna's recent actions, however, could undermine his party's credibility as they raise significant legal and ethical questions.