… vows to fight corruption
Peter Tanyanyiwa
The Harare City Council (HCC) has elected Ward 17 councillor Jacob Mafume as its new Mayor.
Mafume replaces former Harare Mayor Hebert Gomba who was recently recalled. The Mayoral elections were screened live on the HCC Facebook page.
The MDC-T Harare Province was represented by Ward 25 councillor Mukunguma.
In his address soon after his swearing in ceremony at Town House on Thursday, the new Councillor Jacob Mafume said their priority at the moment is to ensure that the City surviuves the Covid-19 pandemic through carrying out their service delivery mandate.
“We are in a very difficult period of the deadly Coronavirus and we have to make sure that we survive, the priority is to make sure that when this pandemic goes we do not drown as a City, our priority is that when free movements begin he people will find he City as it was before the pandemic.
“We aim to improve our service delivery on water, refuse and keeping the clean, among our many other duties,” he said.
Commenting on corruption allegations on the sale of residential and business stands, he said that they are going to be adopting a more open approach on the procedures and educate the public as well on the process.
“On the issue of residential and business stands we aim educate all the residents on council policies on the sale of stands, we are going to be more open.
“There is a scarcity of the land and when people see someone building they will think that there has been corruption someone has been put ahead of the queue, so we are going to be more open about the whole process,” said Mayor Mafume.
He added that the former Mayor Hebert Gomba did not get anything wrong during his short term but was illegally recalled, he said the former Mayor is still appealing and contesting the recall but they saw that business had to go on and they could not let residents suffer because of political differences hence the new leadership.
He also highlighted that they will be dealing with corruption and closing all he loopholes.
“My predecessor did not get anything wrong, he was removed from office illegally by people who think they put him there, he was put in office by MDC Alliance and illegally removed by MDC T, that is politics there are people who interpreted that he was wrong.
“As MDC Alliance we saw that the residents don’t have to suffer, so we are moving forward. The City is for all, Zanu PF, MDC, or anyother party so political divisions should not hinder our work as all Councillors have a mandate to deliver and offer good services to the residents.
“We are going to be dealing with corruption, and we are also crafting a policy on whistle blowing, so that we close all the loopholes,” added the new Harare Mayor.
Jacob Mafume studied at Gokomere High School before enrolling at the University of Zimbabwe where he studied for a Bachelor of Law from 1996 to 2000. Mafume is a lawyer with Mapunga Bhatasara Attorneys.
He previously worked for Retina Properties and Norwegian organisation Studentene og Akademikernes Internasjonale Hjelpefond.