KEY POINTS
- More than $4.5 million vanished from Harare City Council funds.
- Harare Quarry officials are accused of misusing the money.
- A corruption probe is underway, but no arrests have been made.
More than $4.5 million has mysteriously disappeared from the Harare City Council (HCC) through its subsidiary, Harare Quarry, according to Mayor Jacob Mafume.
The missing funds, originally allocated in 2018 to revive the operations of Harare Quarry, have no traceable records, raising serious corruption concerns.
Mafume made the revelation Thursday while testifying before the Commission of Inquiry led by retired Justice Maphios Cheda. He described the case as outright theft, blaming previous council leadership and management for the disappearance of the funds.
“The money was stolen,” Mafume said bluntly when asked about the funds.
When pressed by Justice Cheda about who was responsible, Mafume pointed fingers at Harare Quarry management and said efforts had been made to involve law enforcement.
However, he admitted that the issue predated the current council and was a legacy problem left by the previous administration.
Harare Quarry at the center of corruption allegations
Harare Quarry, a subsidiary of the city council, has long been under scrutiny for financial mismanagement.
Officials have been accused of using it as a personal cash cow, with the company failing to remit funds to the city despite leasing its premises to private businesses.
Mafume acknowledged that Harare Quarry has become a financial liability, continuously requiring city council bailouts to remain operational.
“I am very passionate about that $4 million because that money has been the source of disputes between us and the previous management,” he said.
According to New Zimbabwe, the mayor further explained that council meetings have frequently raised concerns over the missing funds, and he has personally pursued the issue.
Due to ongoing financial losses and property attachments, he suggested placing the company under liquidation or new management.
Corruption probe launched as city struggles with debt
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has reportedly been alerted to the situation, according to Harare City Council chamber secretary Warren Chiwawa.
“I had discussions with the business development manager, who confirmed that we indeed made a report after the matter came up in one of the committee meetings,” Chiwawa said.
Despite these reports, little progress has been made in recovering the missing money, and no individuals have been publicly held accountable for the alleged mismanagement.
The disappearance of the funds has worsened Harare’s financial crisis, with the city council struggling to meet obligations, including payments for essential services.
As the commission of inquiry continues its investigations, residents and stakeholders are calling for greater transparency and accountability in city management.
