Harare City Council burns through nearly 200 thousand dollars every single day because they cannot fix their computer money system. The city has been hemorrhaging cash since 2019 when their software company Quill Associates pulled out after a contract fight. Officials estimate the total damage could hit 500 million dollars. City leaders admit they have lost track of 200 million dollars since 2020.
The suspended Town Clerk told investigators the council bleeds about 70 million dollars each year without proper accounting software. Workers have been doing everything by hand for five years. The city cannot collect most of the money people owe them. Officials can easily buy fancy Toyota trucks worth half a million dollars but somehow cannot purchase the computer system they desperately need.
Government watchdogs gave the green light for direct purchase back in October. Council bosses waited eight months before even asking for permission. The procurement authority discovered the new price jumped from 800 thousand to over 1.7 million dollars. Nobody can explain why the cost doubled. The mayor blames his own procurement team for protecting corrupt managers.
Quill Associates says the new quote covers way more services than before. They want to install the complete system instead of just pieces. All the government ministries agreed to the higher price during meetings. The acting Town Clerk claims they spent months haggling over costs. Council members grow more frustrated as executives seem to block every attempt at fixing the broken money system.
The suspended Town Clerk told investigators the council bleeds about 70 million dollars each year without proper accounting software. Workers have been doing everything by hand for five years. The city cannot collect most of the money people owe them. Officials can easily buy fancy Toyota trucks worth half a million dollars but somehow cannot purchase the computer system they desperately need.
Government watchdogs gave the green light for direct purchase back in October. Council bosses waited eight months before even asking for permission. The procurement authority discovered the new price jumped from 800 thousand to over 1.7 million dollars. Nobody can explain why the cost doubled. The mayor blames his own procurement team for protecting corrupt managers.
Quill Associates says the new quote covers way more services than before. They want to install the complete system instead of just pieces. All the government ministries agreed to the higher price during meetings. The acting Town Clerk claims they spent months haggling over costs. Council members grow more frustrated as executives seem to block every attempt at fixing the broken money system.
