Harare town clerk Hosiah Chisango was prevented from attending a full council meeting on Tuesday, 01 October following his suspension by Mayor Jacob Mafume.
During his suspension, Chisango is prohibited from reporting for duty, entering any employer premises, or acting on behalf of the City of Harare in any capacity.
As reported by <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/suspended-town-clerk-ejected-from-drama-filled-full-council-meeting/">The Herald</a>, proceedings were briefly interrupted when Chisango entered the council chambers, prompting Mafume to whisper something to him before escorting him out of the meeting.
Chisango was suspended effective September 20, 2024, due to multiple allegations, including involvement in the US$9.2 million street lights scandal, which has already implicated four other council officials awaiting trial.
Two weeks ago, he was granted US$500 bail by the High Court pending trial for charges of criminal abuse of duty related to the street lighting tender scam.
Mafume confirmed that Chisango is on suspension with pay and benefits while the charges against him are being addressed.
The full council meeting yesterday became contentious, with councillors accusing each other of wrongdoing amid the ongoing Commission of Inquiry into council affairs.
The situation intensified when Acting Harare City Council Chamber Secretary Warren Chiwawa arrived during the session, having been questioned by the police just before the meeting started.
After the meeting, Chiwawa told journalists that he had not been arrested, adding that the police only sought clarification regarding the establishment of the sports committee and required some documents.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

The town clerk of Harare, Hosiah Chisango, was kicked out of a council meeting because he was suspended by the mayor. He cannot go to work or represent the city while he's suspended. Chisango is accused of being involved in a scandal about street lights and is facing charges in court. The meeting also got tense as council members argued about the investigation into city affairs. Another council member was questioned by the police but was not arrested. Chisango is still getting paid during his suspension.

Suspended Harare Town Clerk, Hosiah Chisango, Ejected From Council Meeting

Harare mayor, Jacob Mafume has suspended town clerk Hosiah Chisango over multiple allegations, including awarding a tender to a blacklisted company and extending his term of office indefinitely without council approval.
Chisango has been suspended with pay and benefits but is prohibited from reporting for duty or acting on behalf of the City of Harare during this period.
Recently, he was granted bail by the High Court after spending nearly two months in remand prison on charges of tender fraud.
In his suspension letter dated September 30, Mafume cited several instances of misconduct by Chisango in his role as the council’s accounting officer. Wrote Mafume:
<blockquote>
This letter serves to inform you that on the grounds stated below you are hereby suspended from all your duties as the Town Clerk with effect from the 30th of September 2024 in terms of Section 6 (1) of Statutory Instrument 15 of 2006 as read with Section 139(3)(a) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15).
Grounds for suspension (a) The employer has a good cause to believe that you have committed a serious misconduct in that you contravened Section 4(a) of the National Code i.e. S.I. 15 of 2006 otherwise known as ‘Any act or conduct or omission inconsistent with the fulfilment of the express or implied conditions of his or her contract.
You did so in one or more of the following ways; you misconducted yourself in the procurement and award of a tender for street lights to Jukula Enterprises in that you awarded the contract to a blacklisted company which had a record of breaching its tender obligations.
Or that you awarded a tender to a company owned by proprietors of blacklisted companies thereby exposing Council to potential financial losses and which company in this case had not won the tender.
In doing so, you have failed one of your primary functions as the accounting officer which is to protect the council’s interest
</blockquote>
Mafume also accused Chisango of failing to secure effective Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and system support for the management of the Council’s billing and accounting systems for nearly five years.
He also claimed that the town clerk renewed the contracts of other senior employees without proper authorisation. Wrote the mayor:
<blockquote>
At the expiry of your fixed term contract around July 2023, you proceeded to give yourself a contract without limit of time without the knowledge and authority of council and without the approval of the Local Government Board in terms of Section 132(1) of the Urban Councils Act.
In violation of the circular issued on the 26th of June 2014 paragraph 2.2 by the Ministry of Local Government and approved by Cabinet.
</blockquote>
Chisango’s contract at the Harare City Council expired in 2023 after completing his initial four-year term.
According to Local Government and Public Works Ministry circular number 86 of 2018, heads of local authorities are mandated to serve for four years.
Meanwhile, according to ZiFM Stereo, on October 1, Mafume was taken aback to find Chisango present at the full council meeting at Town House.
In a surprising turn of events, journalists were quickly removed from the meeting, preventing them from witnessing the unfolding drama between Mafume and Chisango.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Harare's mayor suspended the town clerk, Hosiah Chisango, for doing bad things like giving a contract to a bad company and extending his job without permission. Chisango can't work during the suspension but still gets paid. The mayor said Chisango also failed to get important software and renewed other contracts without permission. Chisango's contract should have ended in 2023 but he made it unlimited. The mayor was surprised to see Chisango at a meeting and journalists were removed, so no one knows what happened next.

Harare Mayor Suspends Town Clerk, Hosiah Chisango, For Misconduct

The Harare City Council has warned residents against buying residential stands on the remainder of Lot 3 of Porta Farm in Norton.
In a statement, Harare Town Clerk Hosiah Chisango said that the local authority is not selling the land, and those doing so are doing it illegally. He said:
<blockquote>
The City of Harare would like to advise members of the public that there are individuals illegally selling residential stands on the remainder of Lot 3 of Porta Farm in Norton.
Be advised that the property is wholly owned by City of Harare. The city is NOT selling the land.
The public is therefore warned against dealing with these land barons and report such occurrences to the nearest police station and to the City of Harare.
Any inquiries regarding this farm should be directed to the office of the Town Clerk.
</blockquote>
Local authorities in Zimbabwe face the challenge of “land barons”, politically connected individuals or groups who illegally acquire land, often through corrupt means, and then sell it for personal benefit.
This often results in the demolition of properties built on the land and the forced eviction of the settlers.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

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