Nepotism, corruption mar Harare land allocations

A commission of inquiry into the City of Harare's financial management has revealed widespread corruption, nepotism, and favouritism in the municipality's land allocation processes. The commission, led by retired judge Justice Maphios Cheda and appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa earlier this year, was tasked with investigating the city's financial systems and compliance with the Public Finance Management Act.

Recent hearings by the commission unearthed evidence of improper land allocations at significantly reduced prices for top city officials. For example, the city's director of works, Zvenyika Chawatama, was allocated land valued at US$146,000 for just US$55,000. Additionally, suspended town clerk Hosiah Chisango, who is facing multiple allegations of misconduct, received a plot of land valued at US$50,000.

The commission quizzed Blessing Muroiwa, chairperson of the Housing, Health, Education, and Licensing Committee, about the irregularities in the land allocations. Muroiwa struggled to justify the discrepancies and admitted that corruption existed in the process. He noted that his department often received lists of people given land leases without any breakdown or clarity on housing beneficiaries.

"I am not sure how it was decided, but from the commercial side, they give a list of the people they have given leases to, though they do not give us a breakdown of the housing list," said Muroiwa.

He explained that the municipality's housing policy does not explicitly state that his department should provide the names of land beneficiaries, further complicating the accountability process. Muroiwa acknowledged that many of the anomalies were the result of past practices, and he revealed that the council had initiated a land regularisation process to correct issues dating back 10 to 15 years.

One major issue highlighted by Muroiwa was the involvement of land barons, whose influence has disrupted smooth land allocations and town planning processes. He confirmed that land barons had submitted lists of beneficiaries to the city council, creating significant challenges for local authorities. The commission indicated that the activities of these land barons had complicated the council's efforts to manage land allocation transparently.

Through evidence leader Tabani Mpofu, the commission pointed to the flawed land allocation system, which stemmed from government directives years ago, particularly through cooperative development programs. Muroiwa suggested that these cooperatives, which were given land without sufficient oversight or development plans, are at the root of many current problems.

Additionally, the commission raised concerns over the city council's spending, with accusations that US$11 million had been spent on workshops instead of essential services. Muroiwa condemned the report, calling it improper and stating that such funds should have been used for vital services like healthcare.

"If it is true that the city council spent US$11 million on workshops, it's improper. That money should have been taken to hospitals to prioritise young people in the city," Muroiwa said.

The revelations from the commission's inquiry have drawn widespread criticism, with residents and civic organizations calling for greater accountability in the management of city resources and land allocations. The investigation continues as the commission seeks to uncover further details about the extent of corruption and maladministration in Harare's local government.