Residents hail council arrests

Municipal Correspondent

Representatives of Harare residents have welcomed the arrest of senior housing department officials on corruption charges involving land worth US$1 million, adding that the development could lead to sanity in the city.

City of Harare top officials who include director housing and community services Addmore Nhekairo, his predecessor and now director human and capital resources Matthew Marara were arrested last week and denied bail on Monday.

The regional magistrate at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts hearing their bail application found that there were significant risks that Marara and co-accused Aaron Tayerera would abscond and that Nhekairo could interfere with a crucial witnesses.

Marara (49) is facing a fraud charge with Aaron Tayerera (48), who is the acting chief clerical officer, while Nhekairo (54) is facing a charge of criminal abuse of office.

Harare Residents Trust director Mr Precious Shumba said all council officials implicated in abusing their offices and mismanagement of public resources must be thoroughly investigated.

“These people have always hidden behind their offices. While the principle of innocent until proven guilty legally holds, the magnitude of the allegations against some officials is too huge to ignore,” he said.

Zimbabwe National Organisation of Associations and Residents Trust Mr Shepherd Chikomba said the arrests of top officials in the housing department were overdue.

Acting Harare mayor councillor Enock Mupamawonde yesterday said the decision to suspend Mr Nhekairo would be made before a full council.

He emphasised that his arrest and that of other officials was not linked to the Kuwadzana US$1 million land scam, but other investigations that are being undertaken.