By Municipal Reporter-The Harare City Council, led by Mayor Jacob Mafume under the disputed leadership of Sengezo Tshabangu’s Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has ordered the immediate shooting of all stray dogs and is considering a formal ban on dangerous dog breeds, particularly pit bulls.

This drastic measure follows a horrific incident on Saturday night when 68-year-old Mr. Samuel Machera was mauled to death in Waterfalls by a pack of dogs owned by Mr. Mike Mupinga.

Mupinga is expected to appear in court on culpable homicide charges. According to witnesses, Machera had stepped out for a smoke around 9pm and never returned.

His mangled body was discovered early the next morning in a yard surrounded by knee-high precast walls, raising concerns about animal containment in urban spaces.

Residents have described the dogs as pit bulls, a breed widely associated with a higher risk of violent attacks.

Though experts say not all pit bulls are dangerous, their bite style — the notorious hold-and-shake technique — often causes catastrophic injuries.

One neighbour, Ms. Catherine Chiwara, revealed she narrowly escaped an attack by the same dogs weeks earlier.

The tragedy has reignited debates around dangerous dog breeds and public safety. “We have instructed municipal police to shoot all stray dogs that are a threat to residents,” Mafume said. “We are also exploring legal options to ban such breeds, and if necessary, we will urge the government to legislate urgently.”

This move comes amid growing criticism of Tshabangu, who controversially declared himself CCC interim secretary-general and has recalled dozens of elected officials, sparking accusations of collusion with Zanu PF.

His perceived crackdown on stray animals is being viewed by some as a populist attempt to reclaim political relevance amid growing legitimacy questions.