Harare City Council's Human Resources department is catching serious heat for blowing off a key directive from the Local Government Board about overhauling pay scales for top executives and directors. The board flat-out declared the current salary structure totally invalid, but council leaders keep raking in massive paychecks despite terrible public services.
Acting Human Resources Director Bossman Mutengarufu finds himself squarely in the crosshairs of angry city councillors and frustrated taxpayers. Recent reports showed the council hemorrhages around half a million US dollars monthly just on executive salaries. The town clerk pockets a whopping $27000 monthly salary that can balloon to $30000 with extra perks. Even the lowest-ranking executive walks away with $15000 each month.
None of these astronomical compensation packages received official approval from the Local Government Board. The board explicitly instructed the council to immediately overhaul its salary framework and align it with government guidelines. Mayor Mafume called out the blatant disregard for official directives, emphasizing that the board expected proactive steps and comprehensive reporting about the situation.
The restructuring process ground to a halt amid accusations of deliberate obstruction by senior officials. Mutengarufu initially denied receiving any restructuring directive but was later caught red-handed after evidence emerged that the acting Town Clerk had personally handed him the letter. Backed into a corner, he was forced to apologize for misleading the council. Tempers flared during a heated special meeting where councillors accused management of intentionally delaying changes to preserve their cushy salary arrangements. Mayor Mafume warned that if necessary compliance measures weren't taken, the council would absolutely pursue further action to enforce the board's mandate.
Acting Human Resources Director Bossman Mutengarufu finds himself squarely in the crosshairs of angry city councillors and frustrated taxpayers. Recent reports showed the council hemorrhages around half a million US dollars monthly just on executive salaries. The town clerk pockets a whopping $27000 monthly salary that can balloon to $30000 with extra perks. Even the lowest-ranking executive walks away with $15000 each month.
None of these astronomical compensation packages received official approval from the Local Government Board. The board explicitly instructed the council to immediately overhaul its salary framework and align it with government guidelines. Mayor Mafume called out the blatant disregard for official directives, emphasizing that the board expected proactive steps and comprehensive reporting about the situation.
The restructuring process ground to a halt amid accusations of deliberate obstruction by senior officials. Mutengarufu initially denied receiving any restructuring directive but was later caught red-handed after evidence emerged that the acting Town Clerk had personally handed him the letter. Backed into a corner, he was forced to apologize for misleading the council. Tempers flared during a heated special meeting where councillors accused management of intentionally delaying changes to preserve their cushy salary arrangements. Mayor Mafume warned that if necessary compliance measures weren't taken, the council would absolutely pursue further action to enforce the board's mandate.
