By Correspondent
Mayor Jacob Mafume is hanging on the last tendrils of his opposition political career after a seeming swap of sides from Chamisa to Tshabangu.
His clique includes many who voted for him to be Mayor after sideswiping the 2-second Mayor Ian Makone.
Expectations were that, in exchange for aiding the ruling ZANU PF to essentially seize control from Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), they would reign till the next round of elections.
That’s what it seemed, appeared and smelled like.
However, in the short space of time since the internal coup that elevated Mafume, pushed Chamisa out and shattered the brittle opposition union, ZANU PF has shifted positions.
In few decisive moves it has revealed its true intentions about Harare City Council.
Commission of Inquiry
First there has been the Harare Commission of Inquiry; a grisly public exercise in the disembowelment of the Local Authority.
Whatever iota of respect Harare retained has been slowly carved away in a methodical scheme dressed as an innocent hearing.
The whole gore of Council’s service delivery failures has been laid bare with various individuals coming forward to testify.
A litany of allegations has been stealthily dropped before public eyes.
With no rebuts, logic has been left to join the dots, often fatally for Council.
Arrested Officials
Next have been incessant arrests of Council officials.
Over the Harare street lights deal with Mike Chimombe and Moses Mpofu already 7 officials have been arrested.
The very act of tagging Council with poster boys of corruption is an invidious act by the schemers.
Doesn’t matter if later all the Council officials are exonerated.
The use of the act would have been accomplished already.
Unapproved 2024 Budget
If ever any one act was effective as a graphic illustration of Council’s failure, it was the late approval of its 2024 budget.
While Harare Residents Trust says the act was used to pinion Council to agree to the GeoPomona deal, that’s for deep thinkers.
For us mere literal mortals having your budget approved in June, halfway through the year, shows a useless Council.
Not many could defend such abject failure.
Throw in the stated reasons around the Enterprise Resource System (ERP), missing for nearly 5 years, and you have a lame duck waiting to be shot.
By the end of the budget saga Harare stood naked.
Outrage From Local Gvt
Most recently has been the hyperbolic astonishment of the Ministry of Local Government.
It has returned from Mars to express shock and befuddlement at the enormity of corruption and abject failure to provide services by Council.
The statement, dressed diplomatically, still comes across as a ceremonial verse before the garrot.
Useless.
Still, in its irrelevance and fake shock, it remains a piece in the wider scheme.
A stone thrown ahead to provide for footing towards the ultimate objective that is the Harare Commission.
Government is simply building a case to jettison the whole bunch of elected Councillors.
The public, drinking from the allegations and spectacle, is being worked into a frenzy.
Until the moment the fatal blow will be thrown to end a myriad political careers.
Which is where the question if the Tshabangu gang is about to suffer a fatal fate comes.
Can they survive dealing with thieves of no honour?
Sure as hell, the future isn’t rosy for Mafume and company.
The Tshabangu scheme that elevated them to the podium at Harare Council is sure under threat.
And with that, the falling curtain of their political careers.
