Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume is facing serious allegations of nepotism and autocratic leadership at the City Council, according to testimony presented before the Harare Commission of Inquiry.
The Commission, which is examining the operations of Harare City Council from 2017 to the present, has heard from Executive Assistant Town Clerk, Mathew Marara, who highlighted widespread nepotism within the council and implicated several senior officials.
Mafume is specifically accused by Marara of improperly appointing Lovemore Chinoputsa to the position of Research and Protocol Officer, bypassing the council’s established recruitment processes.
Marara also described the environment at Town House as chaotic and lawless, with the Mayor allegedly centralizing recruitment decisions without following proper procedures.
Marara recounted an incident involving the Mayor’s decision to replace a long-standing driver with a new recruit who lacked basic skills for the job.
“When the Mayor assumed office, there was a driver who had been there for years, but the Mayor wanted him replaced. We were pressured to assign the new driver to the Mayor’s office even though the incumbent was still in place,” Marara explained. “The new driver lacked the competence to drive a manual car, yet he was given the role.”
Additionally, Marara raised concerns about Mafume’s handling of council employee suspensions, specifically citing the case of Samson Madzokere, who continues to receive a salary despite being absent from work.
Marara suggested that Madzokere’s suspension was related to the Mayor’s push for a particular company to handle the council’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, rather than any alleged misconduct.
Marara also spoke about the strained relationship between Mafume and Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango, which has led to dysfunction at the council.
Last year, Mafume controversially suspended Chisango, with the Town Clerk learning about his suspension via social media before reporting for duty the following day. Marara described ongoing friction between the two men, which has negatively impacted the council’s operations.
“There is a lot of disharmony between the Mayor and the Town Clerk. I’ve spoken to both of them about the issue, but the tensions are affecting the whole council,” Marara added.
When Mafume appeared before the Commission, he denied any interference in the work of the council’s executive staff, claiming that he regularly meets with individual councillors and committees, which is allowed by the law.
However, the testimony from Marara paints a picture of a deeply troubled administration under Mafume’s leadership, with allegations of unchecked power and nepotistic practices at the heart of the controversy.
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