By A Correspondent| Simon Muzviyo, the managing director of City Parking, is under scrutiny for alleged financial mismanagement, personal enrichment, and authorizing failed foreign investments that reportedly cost the Harare City Council (HCC) over US$4 million.
City Parking is tasked with managing parking spaces in Harare’s central business district (CBD). However, Muzviyo has claimed the company operates as a private entity and is not subject to oversight under the Public Finance Management Act.
During his testimony before the Justice Cheda-led Commission of Inquiry investigating the operations of HCC since 2017, Muzviyo admitted to entering a joint venture with a Ghanaian company in 2015. Under the agreement, City Parking held a 45% stake and anticipated returns of US$1 million after purchasing equipment. However, the deal fell apart, resulting in significant losses for the council.
Muzviyo disclosed that he spent a month in Accra at City Parking’s expense but failed to account for his daily allowances for accommodation, meals, and other expenses when questioned by evidence leader Thabani Mpofu.
Other questionable foreign investments approved by Muzviyo, without proper due diligence, involved ventures in South Africa and Zambia, with cumulative losses amounting to approximately US$4 million.
Insiders allege that Muzviyo’s actions went unchecked due to the influence of his second wife, Tsitsi Samapundo, who manages the council’s Business Development Unit (BDU). The BDU oversees entities such as City Parking, Rufaro Marketing, and Harare Quarry.
An ex-employee of the department claimed Samapundo helped conceal irregularities, including the lack of proper accounting, undocumented contracts, and the manipulation of both ZWL and USD accounts.
“Samapundo’s position allowed her to shield Muzviyo from accountability,” the source alleged. “Her failure to question his actions made her complicit in the maladministration.”
Attempts to contact Samapundo for comment were unsuccessful, and she reportedly sent proxies to threaten media outlets with legal action. Similarly, Muzviyo could not be reached, with sources claiming he is vacationing in the United Kingdom.
City Parking’s alleged financial mismanagement and internal corruption further fuel concerns about systemic issues at the Harare City Council. These challenges have hindered the city’s efforts to achieve its ambitious goal of becoming a world-class city by 2025.