Mafume accused of illegally pocketing prime land at Harare's expense

The Harare City Council is facing mounting scrutiny as it emerges that Mayor Jacob Mafume and several senior officials received stands under questionable circumstances, costing the municipality much-needed revenue. This troubling revelation comes amid an ongoing Commission of Inquiry investigating the operations of the City Council over the past five years.

Reports indicate that prominent officials, including Mafume and town clerk Hosiah Chisango, were allocated residential stands without adhering to proper procedures. Notably, Harare City Council engineer Zvenyika Chawatama was allocated a stand in Greystone Park for US$55,000, a price significantly below its market value of US$146,000. Similarly, Chisango received a stand in the same area for US$50,000, raising questions about the valuation and allocation process.

Mafume's allocation of an unvalued piece of land in Mt Pleasant further adds to the growing concerns regarding transparency and fairness in the land distribution process. When questioned about the allocations during a session of the Commission of Inquiry, Blessing Muroiwa, the chairperson of the Harare City Council Committee on housing, health, education, and licensing, professed ignorance regarding the stand allocations.

"We give the housing director the authority…. We did not sanction that. We did not receive reports about that," Muroiwa stated. When pressed about the specific process used to allocate a stand to Mafume, he replied, "According to our housing policy, there is nowhere that states that we must receive a breakdown on who has been allocated stands."

The irregular allocation of stands has drawn widespread condemnation, as it undermines the local authority's capacity to generate revenue from land sales and leases. The Mafume-led Council is already grappling with numerous allegations of corruption and cronyism in its land allocation processes.

In a striking development, Mafume recently gifted a residential stand in Mt Pleasant to musician Enock "Nox" Guni as a reward for his achievements in the music industry, further fueling allegations of favoritism and unethical practices.

Compounding the controversy, Chisango's assets have been seized by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) amid suspicions that they were acquired through corrupt means. As the Commission of Inquiry continues its investigation, the public is left to wonder how deep the rot in Harare City Council runs and what measures will be taken to restore integrity and transparency in local governance.

As revelations unfold, the pressure is mounting on the Harare City Council to address these allegations and implement necessary reforms to regain the trust of its constituents and ensure responsible management of public resources.