A shocking report has emerged from the Justice Cheda Commission of Inquiry, revealing widespread corruption and looting at the Harare City Council. Top officials are alleged to be earning over US$12,000 per month, while 60% of revenues are going towards salaries. A staggering US$4.5 million loan to Harare Quarry in 2017 was embezzled, and no police report was filed despite the incident occurring seven years ago.
The report also highlights the secrecy surrounding Harare Quarry’s operations, with the company failing to declare its revenue, profits, or dividends to the council since 2018. Other alarming revelations include the Harare City Medical Aid Society’s purchase of a house in Ruwa for US$1 million, and the illegal parcelling out of over 5,000 plots by Harare CCC councillors ahead of the 2023 harmonised elections. Furthermore, the council rejected a locally developed ERP system in favour of a more expensive foreign alternative, and is still using outdated methods to store financial records.
The sheer scale of corruption and mismanagement at the Harare City Council is staggering, with reports of properties disappearing from records, over US$200 million unaccounted for, and ZiG$230 million (approximately US$16 million) spent on workshops between December 2023 and July 2024. The report also alleges that land barons are operating with impunity, aided by some councillors. These revelations demand urgent attention and action to address the deep-seated corruption and mismanagement plaguing the Harare City Council.
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