Hosiah Chisango

Service/Career

May 1998 to October 2001 - Stewart Scott Zimbabwe, Water and Wastewater Engineer.
September 2001 to May 2005 - Senior Engineer.
May 2005 to September 2016 - Harare Water Manager.
September 2016 to December 2017 - Harare Water Director.
December 2017 to September 2018 - acting Town Clerk.
^[1]

Chisango was suspended from his post as Town Clerk due to pending criminal cases.^[2]

Events

Arrest

Chisango was arrested on 10 September 2020 over alleged illegal land deals two days after suspending director of works Zvenyika Chawatama without pay on allegations of potential disciplinary offences. He was arrested in Gweru where he was attending a workshop for town clerks. ^[3]

On 15 September 2021, Chisango was granted ZWL$50 000 bail by Bianca Makwande. As part of his bail conditions, he was ordered not to visit the Town House until the investigations were finalised and not to interfere with witnesses. Chisango was also ordered to reside at his given address and report once a week at his nearest police station.

Chisango was accused, along with Addmore Nhekairo of illegal creation and allocation of stands on an open space in Kuwadzana 3 in July 2019 without going through the legal process of changing land use. ^[4]

Covid-19 Tender Scam

A publication reported that Chisango was involved in a ZW$51 million Covid-19 materials tender scandal. A council audit revealed that a controversial firm Eqstra Hardware and Electricals owned by a former council official Albert Ndabambi, was chosen to supply personal protective equipment (PPE) before unjustified price adjustments were effected to prejudice Harare City Council. Eqstra Hardware, which was not shortlisted for the tender, was awarded a tender to supply 10 000 Tyvec suits valued at ZW$19 720 000 which was US$243 000 at the time. The audit report indicated that Chisango, finance director Stanley Ndemera and supply chain manager Never Murerwa agreed to a price variation of ZW$5 521 which was US$68 at the time from ZW$2 997 which was US$37, per kit to Eqstra Hardware.

Council procurement officer Abel Dzuke was also accused of playing a part in the alleged tender scandal. He, however, denied the allegations.

Chisango instituted the audit into the tender. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) became involved in the matter. Approached for comment, Chisango declined to comment. ^[2]

Suspended Directors Petition 2023

The petition was given to Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume in June 2023 by Glen View residents. It notes, with anger, that the City of Harare has been paying full salaries to 6 Directors who are on suspension on corruption charges. The unresolved labour cases and issues have been hemorrhaging financial resources from the City of Harare. (This has been) through payment of salaries and allowances (fuel, data and holiday) for senior management workers on suspension who are not offering any service to the local authority.

Former Human Capital Director Cainos Chingombe and Finance Director Tendai Kwenda were suspended in 2017. Meanwhile, Director of Works Zvenyika Chawatama was also suspended with full benefits in 2021. He was accused of masquerading as the Town Clerk. However, the actual Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango was also suspended over abuse of office charges. Chsango appeared in court on charges of criminal abuse of duty after allegedly firing a subordinate to cover up investigations on illegal land deals, and has since been exonerated of the cases. Also suspended were Director of Housing Addmore Nhekairo and Town Planner Samuel Nyabezi. The suspension of these Directors meant that Harare had only one substantive Director, Prosper Chonzi.

The suspensions had to appoint temporary officials, which meant that it was paying twice for a single position. ^[5]

References