Opinion / Columnist
Scathing indictment of Harare City Council's corruption and mismanagement
11 Sep 2024 at 19:34hrs | Views
The Harare City Council (HCC) has been exposed as nothing short of a cesspool of corruption, gross mismanagement, and unchecked incompetence since 2017, according to a damning Commission of Inquiry led by Justice Maphios Cheda. Appointed by the President in response to the justified outrage of Harare residents, this inquiry has revealed a staggering level of criminal negligence and abuse of power within the council. For years, the HCC has utterly failed to deliver even the most basic services, betraying the very people it is supposed to serve and sinking the city into deeper chaos.
At the heart of this debacle is the Council's disgraceful collusion with land barons, a criminal network that has seized control of the city's land management, thanks to the Council's utter disregard for laws and regulations. HCC Housing Principal Officer Edgar Dzehonye didn't mince words when he admitted that “proper town planning procedures and processes have been thrown out of the window and into the dustbin.” This shocking confession is proof that the City Council has become little more than a puppet of these land barons, who operate with impunity while the Council looks the other way. The council's wilful neglect and complicity have not only enabled but empowered these criminals to destroy what little order was left in the city.
President Mnangagwa's decision to launch this Commission of Inquiry is nothing short of a saving grace, as it exposes the full depth of the rot festering within the HCC. The Council has proven itself completely incapable of governance, with Dzehonye's own words underscoring that the city has utterly lost control. The rampant corruption, dereliction of duty, and sheer incompetence demand immediate and harsh corrective measures. It's not just about accountability; it's about cleaning out a council so steeped in corruption that it has long since abandoned the very idea of serving the public.
Meanwhile, the CCC-dominated council has shown nothing but contempt for Harare's residents. Despite the growing housing crisis and desperate pleas from citizens, the council continues to blatantly disregard bylaws and procedures, proving that it has no genuine interest in alleviating the suffering of the people. Their apathy and inaction are disgraceful, and their failure to govern effectively is a slap in the face to every Harare resident still waiting for decent housing and essential services.
The influence of land barons over the HCC is a disgrace that cannot be allowed to continue. The entire council is complicit in this criminal enterprise, and their inability - or unwillingness - to enforce the law has allowed these corrupt actors to thrive. It is time for a complete and ruthless purge of the HCC's corrupt leadership. The city's governance structures must be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up if there is any hope of restoring order, accountability, and basic human decency to the people of Harare. Enough is enough - this council must be held to account for its failures.
At the heart of this debacle is the Council's disgraceful collusion with land barons, a criminal network that has seized control of the city's land management, thanks to the Council's utter disregard for laws and regulations. HCC Housing Principal Officer Edgar Dzehonye didn't mince words when he admitted that “proper town planning procedures and processes have been thrown out of the window and into the dustbin.” This shocking confession is proof that the City Council has become little more than a puppet of these land barons, who operate with impunity while the Council looks the other way. The council's wilful neglect and complicity have not only enabled but empowered these criminals to destroy what little order was left in the city.
Meanwhile, the CCC-dominated council has shown nothing but contempt for Harare's residents. Despite the growing housing crisis and desperate pleas from citizens, the council continues to blatantly disregard bylaws and procedures, proving that it has no genuine interest in alleviating the suffering of the people. Their apathy and inaction are disgraceful, and their failure to govern effectively is a slap in the face to every Harare resident still waiting for decent housing and essential services.
The influence of land barons over the HCC is a disgrace that cannot be allowed to continue. The entire council is complicit in this criminal enterprise, and their inability - or unwillingness - to enforce the law has allowed these corrupt actors to thrive. It is time for a complete and ruthless purge of the HCC's corrupt leadership. The city's governance structures must be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up if there is any hope of restoring order, accountability, and basic human decency to the people of Harare. Enough is enough - this council must be held to account for its failures.
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