Govt mum as Harare war rages

GOVERNMENT has remained mum over fights that have engulfed the City of Harare, where senior council officials are said to be involved in internecine battles for control of the capital with scant regard to service delivery.

It is alleged that suspended town clerk Hosea Chisango and the acting town clerk Zvenyika Chawatama are fighting over control of Town House, but Local Government minister July Moyo is mum.

Moyo’s deputy, Marian Chombo, ignored questions from NewsDay on the mess, which has seen Chisango directing operations despite the minister’s directive that he be suspended until criminal cases involving him before the courts were finalised.

A memo by Chawatama, who is the director of works, seen by NewsDay yesterday showed that Chisango illegally called a meeting which sought to bring the public safety department under his control and not report to the chamber secretary’s office.

This, observers said, would have seen Chisango interfering with a division that is investigating several cases of alleged corruption against him.

After the December 24, 2020 meeting, Chisango is said to have suspended the chief security officer Collen Tongoona, who was leading the investigations.

Sources yesterday said Chisango’s intention was to have his office control the division in order to interfere with the investigations.

“Correspondence by the town clerk dated December 24, 2020 sought to change the reporting structure of the above division from your department to your office,” Chawatama wrote to the chamber secretary in a memo dated January 19, 2021.

“Further meetings between the town clerk, Mr (Bozman) Matengarufu of the human resources department and senior staff of the division were held to reinforce the change of reporting directive.

“Arising from the change of reporting directive, a number of staff including the chief superintendent were suspended by the town clerk,” the memo read.

“All the above actions by the town clerk were unprocedural, irregular and fraudulent and sought, among other issues, to interfere with the investigations being conducted by the branch. Besides, such directives and suspensions of staff are void and are a nullity. As such, the suspended employees remain at work with no suspension in force,” Chawatama’s letter read in part.

Last year, Chisango suspended Chawatama without benefits before he was arrested two days later on charges of corruption.