KEY POINTS
- Harare’s top officials are earning massive salaries despite poor services.
- Millions of dollars have vanished, and city finances remain unaudited.
- Mayor Mafume admits he lacks power to stop excessive spending.
At a time when Harare residents are grappling with uncollected garbage, sewage problems, and malfunctioning traffic lights, the city’s top executives are reportedly enriching themselves with hefty salaries.
During his testimony before the Commission of Inquiry, chaired by Retired Judge Justice Maphios Cheda, Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume revealed shocking details about the city’s payroll.
He stated that top officials are collectively earning half a million U.S. dollars each month, with the Town Clerk taking home an eye-watering $27,000 per month.
“I asked the Human Resources director for a salary report, but he refused, saying he was under instruction from the Town Clerk,” Mafume said. “He later showed it to me in confidence, and I saw that the highest-paid executive receives $27,000 per month, while the lowest-paid earns $15,000.”
Opaque finances and missing millions
The revelations have sparked outrage as the city continues to struggle with financial mismanagement.
Mayor Mafume also told the commission that the city is losing $10 million annually due to a flawed billing system—a situation made worse by the fact that the last council audit was conducted six years ago.
Adding to the concerns, Mafume disclosed that $4.5 million mysteriously disappeared from city funds, further underscoring the alleged corruption and mismanagement plaguing Harare’s leadership.
Commission lead evidence officer Thabani Mpofu pressed Mafume for confirmation on whether the executives’ salaries included any additional benefits.
According to New Zimbabwe, Mafume confirmed they did not, adding that when perks were factored in, total compensation could exceed $30,000 per executive.
Mayor lacks power to rein in spending
Justice Cheda questioned Mafume about why he had not taken action to curb the high salaries and financial mismanagement.
The mayor responded by stating that the executives often remind him that he is not an executive mayor, meaning his authority is limited.
Town Planning Director Samuel Nyabeza vowed to demolish residential fuel stations built without proper oversight because of safety issues. This came out during the hearing along with various other government accountability failures.
Additionally, Mafume was asked about Harare’s broken traffic lights, which have contributed to a rise in road accidents, including fatal crashes.
Growing public dissatisfaction across the city has increased scrutiny on local leaders due to their financial management and lack of responsibility.
