Former Harare Mayor Ben Manyenyeni deliberately refrained from eating at Town House during his tenure, fearing possible poisoning after leading efforts to reduce excessive salaries and perks for city executives.
Serving as mayor from 2013 to 2018, Manyenyeni championed salary cuts at a time when then-Town Clerk Tendai Mahachi reportedly earned over US$30,000 per month, with seven senior managers each taking home around US$20,000. His campaign sparked significant resistance from executives, and although the salary reductions were eventually implemented, he acknowledged making powerful adversaries in the process.
In a recent interview with *The Sunday Mail*, Manyenyeni expressed disappointment that the reforms he fought for have since been reversed.
“I am disheartened that the hard-fought changes we achieved have not only been undone but have worsened,” he said. “To safeguard ourselves after making tough decisions, we avoided consuming food and drinks at Town House.”
He noted that during his term, the Town Clerk’s salary and allowances were reduced from US$21,000 to under US$11,000 per month.
“I find it shocking that the executive payroll has once again become a secret. We had worked closely with the Ministry of Local Government to bring salaries to reasonable levels,” he added.
His remarks come as concerns over transparency and accountability in Harare’s financial management grow, raising further questions about governance in the city.
Recent testimonies before the Justice Cheda-led Commission of Inquiry into Harare’s governance since 2017 suggest that Town House executives are once again receiving exorbitant salaries, even as service delivery in the city declines.
The commission heard that Town Clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango is earning close to US$30,000 per month, including benefits such as holiday allowances. Other senior executives are reportedly receiving similarly inflated salaries, with the council allegedly spending around US$500,000 monthly on executive wages. The lowest-paid executive reportedly earns US$15,000 per month. However, none of these salaries or perks have been approved by the Local Government Board.
Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume, in his submissions, revealed that city directors, who allegedly lack payslips, spent US$124,000 on foreign travel last year and allocated US$1 million for luxury vehicles during the 2023 election period. He further alleged that Chisango was granted US$18,000 for a Dubai trip, while another senior official, Engineer Isaac Chawatama, received US$15,000.
Mafume also recounted a situation where he requested a salary report from the human resources director, who initially refused to provide it, citing instructions from the town clerk. When shown the document in confidence, Mafume discovered that the highest-paid executive was receiving US$27,000, with the lowest earning US$15,000.
He noted that, with additional perks, the highest salary could reach US$30,000, and described his relationship with the executive team as strained, mainly due to ongoing disputes over his authority as a ceremonial mayor.
“I was only given a glimpse of the salary figures—there are no payslips. The executive wage bill totals US$500,000 per month, none of which has been sanctioned by the Local Government Board or the parent ministry,” Mafume asserted.
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