Commission Issues Apology Over Unfounded Mafume Bribe Allegations

Harare, Zimbabwe | The Harare Commission of Inquiry has officially issued an apology following allegations of bribery against Quill Associates, which were brought to light during a recent hearing.

The claims, which suggested that Quill Associates had paid a significant sum of USD$200,000 to the Mayor of Harare, Councillor Jacob Mafume, were deemed to be unfounded and lacking credible evidence.

The Commission’s apology comes in the wake of strong rebuttals from Quill Associates, who expressed concern over the damage caused to their reputation by these accusations.

In a formal response, Quill Associates stated their dissatisfaction with the manner in which the allegations were presented. According to the company, the accusations against them were not substantiated by evidence and appeared to be based on factors that were unrelated to the facts at hand.

While Quill Associates refrained from commenting on the personal actions of the Mayor, they made it clear that the allegations against them were damaging and misplaced.

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The company had previously provided evidence during their testimony to the Commission to support their position, showing the legitimacy of their engagements with the City of Harare.

Despite this, the accusations remained unaddressed, prompting Quill Associates to formally request the Commission for evidence backing the claims made by Mr. Tapiwa Godzi, the evidence leader for the inquiry. The company further demanded a retraction and public apology if the allegations could not be proven.

Quill Associates’ statement highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in the inquiry process. The company called for the Commission to provide proof of the USD$200,000 bribe allegation made on February 4, 2025. If no evidence could be presented, they asked for a retraction of the statement and a formal apology. This request underscores the company’s commitment to clearing its name and addressing the reputational harm caused by what they believe to be a baseless accusation.

Quill Associates stressed that their re-engagement with the City of Harare was not self-initiated. The company clarified that their involvement in the procurement of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for the City of Harare in 2024 was based on several authoritative recommendations. These included directives from the Auditor General to recover unaccounted-for funds, as well as calls from the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts and the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to enhance local government service delivery through the implementation of an effective ERP system.

The company expressed surprise that the Commission of Inquiry had chosen to focus on the unfounded bribery allegations instead of addressing the systemic issues within the City of Harare’s procurement processes, which they believe are at the root of the ongoing challenges in the city’s operations.

In an effort to provide further context, Quill Associates attached documentation showing the challenges faced during previous ERP procurement processes. These reports, which have been submitted to both the Ministry and the Commission, underscore the difficulties in engaging a competent service provider due to problems within the Harare City Council’s procurement system. The company criticized the Commission for not addressing these larger, structural issues, which they argue should be the focal point of the inquiry.

In October 2024, the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ), in consultation with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, approved Quill Associates’ direct procurement to address the City of Harare’s urgent need for a functional ERP system. This decision was made to mitigate operational delays while the City worked through a new tender process. However, Quill Associates pointed out that four months later, this process remains incomplete, calling attention to the discrepancies in the speed at which other procurement processes, such as the Juluka Tender, were concluded.

Quill Associates has requested that the Commission examine these discrepancies closely and ensure that the inquiry is conducted with a focus on the facts, free from external influence or unfounded allegations.

To further substantiate their claims, Quill Associates provided several key documents, including:

• Appendix 1: Tender Adjudication Report – 2022
• Appendix 2: Tender Adjudication Report – 2023
• Appendix 3: Proposed Transitional Plan to Address ERP Issues for City of Harare
• Appendix 4: Tender Process Enquiry

These documents, which have already been submitted to the parent ministry and the Commission, offer valuable insights into the procurement process and the steps taken by Quill Associates to address the City’s ERP needs.