By Correspondent
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has reportedly been arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) over as yet unspecified charges.
Also arrested by ZACC on Wednesday was former Harare South Member of Parliament Shadreck Mashayamombe.
ZACC is yet to provide details around both cases.
Meanwhile, Harare City Council Spokesperson Stanley Gama says he is yet to verify the news.
“I have also heard it through rumours so I’m still trying to check,” he said when contacted by this publication.
Results of Uchena Commission Hearings?
The arrest of Mafume is likely related to allegations for which he was never arrested which arose during the Commission of Inquiry hearings in Harare.
Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe recommended prosecution of city officials implicated in corruption and poor governance.
The commission, chaired by retired High Court judge Justice Maphios Cheda, submitted its final report to President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House in 2025.
During the hearings Mafume was accused of corruption and abuse of office.
Notably, Rosemary Togarepi, General Manager of Kandrick Investments, a company leasing two council-owned beer outlets, implicated Mayor Mafume in a suspicious deal.
She alleged that after Kandrick invested in developing the properties, Councillor Makuwere, claiming to represent Mafume, demanded a stake in the company.
Through proxies Mafume was accused of halting further developments as he demanded money.
Juma Ulete and Ngoni Chimbalu, directors of Rufaro Marketing, a council-owned entity managing liquor outlets, were also implicated.
Togarepi claimed the Council officials interfered with her company’s lease agreements and instructed tenants to divert rental payments to them.
Mafume was allegedly the beneficiary of rentals collected from everyone “without lease agreements.”
Togarepi accused the Mayor of being implicated in a wider scheme that diverted council revenue.
Infamously the Mayor was also caught in lie after giving the wrong house address when the Commission wanted to visit his place.
Failed Political Gimmick
After conclusion of the hearings no cases had been preferred against Mafume who has lately cozied up to President Mnangagwa and his government.
Speaking at the handover of 16 service vehicles for the roll-out of prepaid water meters Mafume said councillors were elected to deliver results, not to engage in endless political confrontation.
“We make no apology for working with the central government,” said Mayor Mafume.
“When the electorate elected us, it was aware that a situation could arise where the city would be run by one party and the central government by another.
“We were not elected to oppose the Government for the sake of it.”
However critics dismissed the Mayor’s conciliatory tone as a trick to protect himself from future prosecution in light of myriad dubious deals at Council.
