Online Reporter
Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent
HARARE residents and legal experts have called on the local authority to immediately open its books and disclose the financial terms of the exit package agreed with former Town Clerk, Engineer Hosiah Chisango, who was reportedly earning US$30 000 per month.
This follows an announcement by Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume at the 1 947th full council meeting in May, confirming that the local authority had reached a severance agreement with Eng Chisango.
However, Harare City spokesperson Mr Stanley Gama declined to reveal the figures, citing “employee/employer confidentiality.”
“We can’t disclose that because of the obvious reasons of employee/employer confidentiality. What we can confirm is that we have indeed reached an agreement with Eng Chisango,” he said.
Ratepayers have rejected the blackout, pointing to revelations from the Justice Maphios Cheda-led Commission of Inquiry, which exposed that Eng Chisango’s monthly salary and executive perks reached up to US$30 000 before a council-wide executive pay cut.
Legal analysts and residents’ watchdogs yesterday slammed the municipality’s reliance on confidentiality clauses, arguing that statutory accountability mandates override private agreements when public funds are involved.
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) director Mr Reuben Akili said local authorities were public institutions governed by the supreme law of the land, which mandates total transparency.
“What needs to be understood is that the local authorities are public institutions and the funds of the local authority must then be managed or used in accordance with the Constitution of Zimbabwe. So the issues around transparency and accountability become very, very key,” Mr Akili said.
He argued that the public interest was legally protected under the country’s disclosure laws.
“Again, the issue we have here is that there is a need for full disclosure of this because if you read Section 62 of the Constitution, it provides for the right to access information as much as that information is required for public accountability.
“If you read Section 2 of the Constitution on the supremacy of the Constitution, any practice that is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution is invalid. So this practice of trying to hide behind the issues of confidentiality to then escape accountability is unacceptable. We need full disclosure on this end. We call upon residents to use the necessary legal provisions to ensure that there is full disclosure of this.”
He also revealed that while council continued to refuse media access, the association will begin formally requesting the information.
Legal expert and former Justice Deputy Minister Mr Obert Gutu said municipal resources belonged to the public, meaning the principle of confidentiality had legal limits that cannot be used to blindfold ratepayers.
“Ratepayers’ funds are indeed public funds and as such, ratepayers have got every right to know how their funds are appropriated and utilised,” Mr Gutu said.
“Granted, an employer/employee contract is confidential but then, there is a limit to which the principle of confidentiality applies.
“We have to strike a balance between the interests of transparency and the principle of confidentiality where public funds are concerned.”
Mr Gutu warned that council could not legally deploy privacy clauses to shield questionable financial manoeuvres from public scrutiny.
“Confidentiality should never, ever be used to hide and mask irresponsible and wasteful usage of public funds.
“Put simply, the City of Harare is obliged, both morally and legally, to fully disclose the severance package that was paid to the former Town Clerk.
Legal expert Mr Lenon Itai Rwizi echoed these sentiments, noting that the use of public funds triggers legal obligations that council cannot simply bypass using private contracts.
During the first 12 months of his suspension (September 2024 to September 2025), Eng Chisango earned more than US$360 000.
