malvernmugadzikwa
Sunday Mail Reporter
TENSIONS reached boiling point at Town House on Monday when Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume and town clerk Engineer Hosiah Chisango were involved in an altercation that shocked council employees who witnessed the incident.
Eng Chisango, who had been absent from work since his arrest on corruption charges last month, returned to work unannounced following his release on bail. His reappearance allegedly drew the ire of Mayor Mafume and several other councillors, who believe he should be cleared of the charges linked to a US$9 million tender for streetlights before resuming duties. According to sources, trouble began when Cllr Mafume learnt of Eng Chisango’s return to work, in contravention of a standing Government directive.
“Eng Chisango drove to office in the morning as usual to report for duty and (Cllr) Mafume soon got wind that he was back at work,” said a source.
“This appeared to anger the mayor, who was visibly irate.”
Cllr Mafume reportedly initially sent an unnamed councillor to summon Eng Chisango to his office. However, the impatient mayor could hardly wait for Eng Chisango to arrive.
Instead, he stormed out of his office to confront the town clerk in the corridor.
“It appeared (Cllr) Mafume didn’t want to meet behind closed doors . . . ,” the source added. Cllr Mafume then confronted Eng Chisango in the corridor. It is believed the mayor was also incensed by the town clerk’s recent testimony before the Justice Cheda Commission of Inquiry, which is currently investigating corporate governance failures at the Harare City Council since 2017.
Eng Chisango implicated councillors in corrupt activities that cost the city millions.
Tempers flared when the two council officials met, and senior councillors had to intervene to prevent the situation from boiling over.
Brandishing leave application forms in Eng Chisango’s face, Mayor Mafume insisted that he immediately goes on leave.
Eng Chisango, who was reportedly blindsided by the mayor’s aggressive behaviour, subsequently retreated to his office and barricaded himself inside. Shortly afterwards, a group of councillors allied to Cllr Mafume gathered in the corridor, calling for Eng Chisango’s removal. “There was a sense that this was a coordinated effort to oust Eng Chisango and prevent him from revealing further corruption within the council before the commission of inquiry concludes,” said the source.
After the brief retreat to his office, Eng Chisango eventually agreed to take official leave. The exact duration of his leave is unclear, though he is expected to return in mid-October, the source added.
Cllr Mafume declined to comment on the matter. Attempts to reach Eng Chisango were unsuccessful by the time of going to print.
According to a directive from the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, council officials are prohibited from returning to work until they are cleared of criminal charges.
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