The state owned Herald is pushing a proposal to have City of Harare put under a commission similar to the one led by Sekesai Makwavarara on the grounds that top city officials including Mayor Herbert Gomba have been implicated in land scams.
According to The Herald, a pocket of residents groups have already met Local Government and Public Works Ministry and the Urban Councils Association of Zimbabwe pushing for this retrogressive move.
In an interview with The Herald, Local Government and Public Works Minister July Moyo would neither confirm nor deny that Harare would have a commission.
“There are constitutional procedures that are supposed to be followed when appointing a commission and as Government we are yet to do that,” he said.
Zimbabwe Combined Residents Association (Zicora) president Mr McSteven Nyabvure said while his association appreciated the efforts to fight corruption, a commission was very necessary going forward.More in Home
“A commission should have been in place way back. Our lives are in danger due to corruption. The commission should have been placed like yesterday,” he said.
Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust head Mr Shepherd Chikomba said some councillors had been lining their pockets ignoring service delivery to the residents who entrusted them with that office.
“We demand that Government put in a commission to run the affairs of our beloved city; the corruption levels perpetrated by these corrupt councils cannot go unchallenged,” he said. “We will welcome the commission with open hands. Residents are no longer the priority of these city fathers who have failed us.”
Mr Chikomba alleged that stands were being allocated without following laid down procedures.
“This level of corruption is uncalled for and we condemn it in the strongest terms. Maybe if a commission is appointed to run these councils, things will change for the better. Government has to intervene,” he said.
Combined Harare Residents Association director Mrs Loreen Mupasiri-Sani however, opposed the appointment of a commission. She said unlike councillors, who are answerable to residents, the appointed commissioners would be reporting directly to the central Government.
Harare has seen a batch of officials, two at the top director level, arrested over land scams.
The charges emanate from allegations that 150 stands were created in Kuwadzana from open spaces and sold for private gain, along with more stands in other areas.