City of Harare, City of 'Actors'

The cameras will not stop rolling at Harare City Council, at least for now. The council is known for creating drama - at one point allowing its elected members to shower at Town House only to later brand some of them illiterate and thus lacking sophistication.

In 2014, we were told the capital would transform into a "world class city", but all manner of vendors invaded the central business district, and commuter omnibus crews and their pirate cousins, "mushika-shika" taxi operators turned the city topsy-turvy.

And then the mayor, Councillor Bernard Manyenyeni, appointed former NMBZ Holdings group CEO Mr James Mushore town clerk on March 24, 2016 only for Government to reject the contract on a point of procedure, making the ex-banker the shortest-serving holder of that office.

Now, the City of Harare is shooting new episodes of its drama series, going for years without substantive heads for several key departments.

Among these are water, finance and housing and community services, and a suitable candidate is also yet to be found for the town clerk's post.

Stakeholders believe this is impeding service delivery as officials who hold office in acting capacities rarely make substantive decisions.

Chamber secretary Mrs Josephine Ncube is the fifth acting town clerk in nine months — the period since Dr Tendai Mahachi left the job.

And with a strategic plan to implement, Town House administration has been moving in fits and starts.

Cllr Manyenyeni wants Mr Mushore back, which is pretty much a difficult proposition given the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Ministry's opposition to his appointment.

Finance director Mr Justin Mandizha was dismissed in May 2016, barely eight months into his contract for failing to steer the local authority out of debt and reducing salary arrears.

Water department director Engineer Christopher Zvobgo and his housing and community services counterpart, Major (Retired) Matthew Marara, saw their contracts expire in June.

Some say Cllr Manyenyeni is keeping the offices open "to appoint his cronies", a charge he vehemently denies; while others are concerned about the acting allowances "actors" get on top of their monthly salaries and benefits.

Combined Harare Residents' Association board chairperson Mr Simbarashe Moyo said, "We are worried that some top posts at Town House are being held by people in acting capacity, and we, as residents, wonder why it is taking long to make substantive appointments.

"Besides compromising service delivery, it is expensive to have these acting directors, especially for the ratepayers who have to largely pay them."

The Local Government Ministry's urban authorities principal director, Ms Erica Jones, said Government would finalise the matter soon, while council's human resources and general purposes committee chairperson, Cllr Wellington Chikombo, said the era of "actors" would end.

"The situation is worrying because service delivery is being affected," said Cllr Chikombo. "When a person is in acting capacity, there are certain limitations to their jobs, and in this case, it is affecting service delivery in the local authority.

"We have since applied to the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing for permission to fill the vacancies."