The recent arrest of Ward 16 Independent Councillor Denford Ngadziore has revived claims that minority councillors are being used as scapegoats for systemic corruption at Harare City Council.
Ngadziore, 53, and Mabelreign District Officer Jane Gambizah, 43, were granted bail by Harare Regional Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa on 9 October after spending a night in custody on charges of criminal abuse of office.
The State alleges that in December 2025, Gambizah introduced businessman Fasten Manyika of Cartin Mark Up Investments to Ngadziore
The two then facilitated construction of shops on council land behind ZETDC offices in Mabelreign.
The land was designated as a public car park and change of use was done without council approval.
Victimisation of Minority Councillors
However, the Harare Residents Trust (HRT) says the case exposes how the system targets the unprotected.
“Ward 16 Councillor may be a victim of the cartel controlling Harare City Council, which uses its proximity to powerful people to its advantage
“The level of manipulation of systems at Town House will never allow minority councillors to escape punishment.
HRT said land allocation requires Town Planning, Estates, Finance, and the Town Clerk’s office.
“A single councillor cannot do it alone”, it said.
Ngadziore is an Independent councillor, elected without a party machine.
He chairs the SMEs Committee, a committee that handles markets, informal traders and small business sites.
This is a known cash intersection at council.
Critics say the politics of recalls, procurement, land, housing and workshops thrive when there is unrestricted corruption in public institutions, and minority councillors are the most exposed.
“This means that those in the minority and without protection from the cartels should live exemplary lives.
“(They should) avoid entering into opaque deals, because they will be easily targeted when the need arises.
Council has not commented on why only a councillor and a district officer were arrested for a development that, by council procedure, would require multiple senior sign-offs.
Ngadziore, a former MDC Alliance youth leader with a history of arrests since 2016, is remanded to 28 October.
His bail conditions include reporting weekly to CID Commercial Crimes, surrendering his passport and not interfering with witnesses.
The case comes as Harare faces mounting pressure over illegal land allocations on wetlands and road reservations.
However no senior Council official have been arrested so far.
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