The commission of inquiry set up by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to probe operations at the Harare City Council has reportedly rattled Town House amid revelations that some top officials have been operating without contracts.

There are also some positions that seem to have been created for certain individuals in a development that has seen council losing thousands of United States dollars.

Harare town clerk Hosiah Chisango is said to be working without a contract and his close ally human capital director Mathew Marara has allegedly drawn a document that he is using while waiting for the contract.

The two reportedly guard their jobs jealously with Marara appointing himself executive assistant to the town clerk, a non-existent position in the city’s structures.

There are also reports that Town House has also been rocked by backbiting after Mnangagwa appointed the commission of inquiry.

“There is chaos at Harare City Council as the town clerk Hosiah Chisango has been operating without a contact but has been using a document created by the human capital director Mathew Marara his top ally.

“This is one of the biggest ever scandal we have witnessed at Harare City Council,” sources at Town House told NewsDay recently.

“Marara has also appointed himself as the executive assistant to town clerk. We have never had such a position and we are still in a state of shock about such a position and Chisango has been going around town saying he has a contract.”

NewsDay also understands that there have been spirited efforts for Chisango to get a contract since last week.

“Both Marara and Chisango are now running Harare like their own tuckshop,” the source added.

Marara and Chisango were not picking calls when NewsDay tried to contact them yesterday.

However, councillor George Mujajati, who is the human resources committee chairperson confirmed that Chisango was working without a valid contract.

“This is a hot issue in council at the moment I don’t want to speak about that but can you contact mayor Jacob Mafume,” he said.

Mafume was not reachable yesterday.

Combined Harare Residents Association chairperson Reuben Akili said they had filed their submissions to the commission.

“There is a lot of corruption happening at Harare City Council but we have also realised the appetite by the local government to control local authorities.

“We have Belarus fire tenders which the government forced on local authorities, the Pomona deal is one of several projects the government is imposing on councils. We need to respect the Constitution as the government is lacking a constitutional culture,” he said. 

Harare Residents Trust director Precious Shumba said they had highlighted some of the challenges affecting council.

Mnangagwa last month appointed a commission of inquiry to investigate the City of Harare’s management and council since 2017.

The commission is chaired by retired judge Justice Maphios Cheda and includes opposition politician Lucia Matibenga, who was Public Service minister during the era of the government of national unity which ran from 2009 to 2013.

The commission of inquiry is set to investigate financial management systems, audit compliance with the Public Finance Management Act and management of revenue generated through special vehicle companies and other outsourced arrangements.

Cheda’s commission has also been directed to investigate reasons behind the failure to operate an Enterprise Resource Planning system for Harare City Council and quantify any losses accruing as a result.

It has also been tasked to investigate and ascertain the procedures of management, sell, lease or transfer of the local authority’s properties to private entities and to probe and investigate convening of council meetings as well as adherence to the standing orders and rules in council meetings by Harare City Council.

The commission will also investigate compliance with procurement laws, inclusive of disposal of assets and compliance with the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act.

It will also investigate any other matters which it may deem appropriate and relevant to the inquiry.

Source | NewsDay

https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200028085/commission-of-inquiry-rattles-harare