KEY POINTS
- Harare City Council is struggling to secure fuel as suppliers refuse ZWG payments.
- Allegations of mismanagement have emerged, with officials accused of prioritizing personal fuel needs over public services.
- Councillors are calling for operational efficiency and better alignment in supplier agreements to improve service delivery.
Harare’s City Council is grappling with critical operational disruptions due to suppliers’ refusal to accept the devalued Zimbabwean dollar (ZWG). This development is significantly affecting the city’s ability to deliver essential services, particularly waste collection.
Council unable to buy fuel with ZWG payments
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s recent move to devalue the ZWG by 44 percenthas compounded the council’s difficulties. While the City Council collects rates from residents in local currency, it faces major challenges procuring necessities like fuel, which suppliers are demanding to be paid in U.S. dollars.
This situation has left the council struggling to continue operations, according to Mayor Jacob Mafume.
Mafume highlighted that the depreciation had rendered local payments impractical. He stated, “We have ZWG, but we cannot buy fuel since suppliers now refuse payments in local currency.”
According to New Zimbabwe, the council had previously managed to secure fuel from suppliers accepting the ZWG, but following the devaluation, most suppliers opted out, complicating fuel procurement.
Priorities questioned as officials unaffected by fuel shortages
City officials have come under scrutiny for their perceived failure to prioritize public service. Harare Councillor Denford Ngadziore criticized the council’s management, accusing officials of ensuring their own needs, like personal fuel allocations, were met while service delivery remained neglected.
“Fuel for service delivery should be a top priority, but I have yet to see a senior official lacking fuel for personal use,” Ngadziore stated.
The city council is also facing allegations of corruption and mismanagement, with claims that extravagant spending by senior officials is hindering effective service delivery. The public sentiment remains critical, with accusations pointing toward inefficient resource management.
Inefficiencies and calls for better alignment
Harare Ward 27 Councillor Womberaiishe Nhende echoed these sentiments, urging the council to reassess its operational efficiency. Nhende emphasized the need to streamline supplier agreements to ensure effective service delivery.
“The problem is operational inefficiency,” he said, adding that Harare’s failure to meet payment deadlines was also making it challenging for suppliers to cooperate.
Nhende further noted that without a strategic realignment and better fiscal management, Harare’s service delivery would continue to struggle. The city, he argued, needs a more disciplined approach to ensure that its contracts with suppliers prioritize essential services.
