Harare City Council faces major criticism for planning to spend $100,000 on an 18-seater kombi. Citizens expressed anger after the council published a newspaper notice requesting permission to borrow over $21 million for various projects, including this expensive vehicle purchase. Many residents believe this shows poor judgment from city leaders who manage limited resources.
The controversy grows because the city already pays massive salaries to leadership. Reports indicate the suspended Town Clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango receives $27,000 monthly despite not working. Acting Engineer Mabhena Moyo earns $26,000 per month, creating a combined expense of $53,000 for a single position at city hall.
Residents questioned what benefits they would see from such an expensive small bus. Caroline Gumbeze from Budiriro pointed out that solar power systems with battery backup could serve dozens of council offices for that amount. She noted cashiers exploit power outages to steal foreign currency through manual systems, making solar power both practical and protective against theft.
Another resident named William Chari was suspected of possible corruption. He believes someone might import a used Kombi worth between $10,000 and $12,000 and create fake documents claiming the higher price. Clive Chaparadza mentioned that a larger 52-seat Yutong bus costs around $80,000 before import duties, making the small bus purchase seem wasteful.
The budget allocation further upset citizens because the council earmarked over $2 million for operational vehicles but set aside just $60,000 to buy five refuse collection trucks. Amos Chigunwe expressed frustration about these priorities, noting that the city promptly delivered luxury Toyota Fortuners to executives but showed less urgency in acquiring essential garbage trucks needed for public health.
Mayor Jacob Mafume defended these decisions, claiming the listed prices represent estimates for securing loans rather than actual purchase costs. He justified borrowing as necessary for improving city services, stating no city worldwide survives on cash alone. Mafume promised safeguards against misuse, saying borrowed funds would go directly to suppliers to prevent financial leakage.
The controversy grows because the city already pays massive salaries to leadership. Reports indicate the suspended Town Clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango receives $27,000 monthly despite not working. Acting Engineer Mabhena Moyo earns $26,000 per month, creating a combined expense of $53,000 for a single position at city hall.
Residents questioned what benefits they would see from such an expensive small bus. Caroline Gumbeze from Budiriro pointed out that solar power systems with battery backup could serve dozens of council offices for that amount. She noted cashiers exploit power outages to steal foreign currency through manual systems, making solar power both practical and protective against theft.
Another resident named William Chari was suspected of possible corruption. He believes someone might import a used Kombi worth between $10,000 and $12,000 and create fake documents claiming the higher price. Clive Chaparadza mentioned that a larger 52-seat Yutong bus costs around $80,000 before import duties, making the small bus purchase seem wasteful.
The budget allocation further upset citizens because the council earmarked over $2 million for operational vehicles but set aside just $60,000 to buy five refuse collection trucks. Amos Chigunwe expressed frustration about these priorities, noting that the city promptly delivered luxury Toyota Fortuners to executives but showed less urgency in acquiring essential garbage trucks needed for public health.
Mayor Jacob Mafume defended these decisions, claiming the listed prices represent estimates for securing loans rather than actual purchase costs. He justified borrowing as necessary for improving city services, stating no city worldwide survives on cash alone. Mafume promised safeguards against misuse, saying borrowed funds would go directly to suppliers to prevent financial leakage.
