HARARE – In a shocking revelation that highlights Harare City Council’s glaring lack of priorities and disorganised management, the council is facing a crisis of basic necessities, with a critical shortage of toilet paper, printing equipment, and stationery across its departments.
According to a memo from the Acting Chamber Secretary, Warren Chiwawa, dated January 29, 2025, the council’s Committees Division has been without essential supplies, including printing cartridges, printers, and bond paper, since last year.
The situation is so dire that even toilet paper and detergents are in short supply.
“Please be advised that My Committees Division ran out of printing cartridges, printers, bond paper, duplicating tissue, toner, ink and other accessories since the previous year.
“There is also critical shortage of typing, printing and Electronic Agendas and Minutes equipment: IPads, Laptops, Scanners and desktops.
“The attention of various Committees was drawn to the problem and various resolutions were made by Council, the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee, Audit and Finance and Development Committees on need to procure the equipment and accessories including toilet paper, detergents etc,” read part of the letter.
This embarrassing shortage raises serious questions about the council’s ability to deliver basic services to residents.
The Harare City Council has already been struggling with inadequate service delivery, including poor waste management, erratic water supply, and deteriorating road infrastructure.
Testifying before the commission of inquiry into the operations of Harare City Council since 2017 on Thursday, Chiwawa confirmed that the letter was legit. He further admitted that the council’s procurement system was the biggest problem.
Chaired by retired High Court judge Justice Maphios Cheda, the five-member commission was appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in May last year to investigate the Harare City Council’s operations since 2017.
The probe has since exposed massive allegations of corruption, maladministration, and incompetence.
For instance, US$4.5 million was stolen from Harare Quarry in 2017, and the council has done nothing to recover the money. It was also revealed that councillors spent more than US$11 million in seven months.
This comes at a time when Harare residents continue to grapple with a myriad of service delivery challenges, which have significantly compromised their quality of life.
The city’s water supply system is erratic, with many suburbs going for weeks without access to clean water, forcing residents to rely on often contaminated alternatives.
The city’s roads are in a deplorable state, with potholes and poor drainage, causing accidents and traffic congestion. Waste management is also a major concern, with overflowing garbage dumps and uncollected trash contributing to the spread of diseases.
These challenges, among many others, have become a norm for Harare residents, who are growing increasingly frustrated with the city council’s failure to deliver basic services.
