HARARE mayor Jacob Mafume is allegedly plotting wholesale changes to the troubled council’s top leadership amid allegations that he wants to surround himself with loyalists that will not challenge controversial decisions.
Mafume yesterday informed councillors ahead of today’s full council meeting that they have to choose their six preferred committees as part of the reshuffle in what has been described as an ambush.
In a notice to councillors yesterday, Mafume gave them until midday to submit their lists before today’s meeting.
“As part of our on-going efforts to ensure that our council committees align effectively with the skills and qualifications of our councillors, I kindly request each of you to submit a list of your top six preferred committees,” part of the letter signed on his behalf by his personal assistant, Rongina Saruchera, read.
“Kindly bear in mind that assigning councillors to committees that match their skills ensures informed decision-making and leads to better outcomes.
“Furthermore, when councillors are involved in committees that align with their interests and strengths, they are more likely to be engaged and contribute meaningfully.”
Council sources yesterday said Mafume wanted to plant his allies in committees he had special interests in so that he could push through his deals without resistance.
He is allegedly targeting the finance, audit, human resources, business, small-and-medium enterprises as well as the housing committees.
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The business committee controls council entities such as Rufaro Marketing and City Parking, among others.
It also adjudicates tenders.
The SMEs committee controls Mupedzanhamo informal market, while the audit committee evaluates contracts for various undertakings and councillors see it as important in sanitising deals that might land them in trouble.
The finance committee is key in the leasing of land, where corrupt deals are rife.
Mafume wants to reshuffle most of the committees controlled by councillors who back former Citizens Coalition for Change leader Nelson Chamisa.
The proposed reshuffle comes at a time when council is under probe by a commission of inquiry appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to investigate alleged corruption in the local authority from 2017 to date.
Some council officials, who refused to be named for security reasons, said Mafume was heading towards a dead end because as a ceremonial mayor, he did not have the powers to order a reshuffle.
The process that he wants to put in motion is only done after elections, they said.
The amendment of legislation in 2008 introduced ceremonial mayors. Elias Mudzuri was the last elected executive mayor, although his tenure was cut short by the government.
A reshuffle is only possible through a motion after an audit and review of committees, which has not been done.
The mayor cannot unilaterally change the composition of committees without council approval and following procedure.
The current committees’ tenure expires on September 11 and council can choose to dissolve or reconstitute them.
Mafume has already removed the human resources committee chairperson Simon Mapanzure (ward 34) without following procedure.
He replaced him with his alleged proxy, George Mujajati, whom he used to transfer four executives, including Fani Machipisa, the head of housing, under controversial circumstances after he refused to allocate councillors residential stands outside their areas of jurisdiction.
Machipisa was removed in June.
His transfer was halted by government following concerns that it was an attempt to conceal the rot at Town House.
