In a staggering revelation of municipal malpractice, Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe has exposed a “legalized” looting spree within the Harare City Council, alleging that Mayor Jacob Mafume and his associates orchestrated a scheme to sue their own council to secure illicit land grabs.
The fallout from these revelations has reportedly triggered a wave of panic at Town House. Allegations have surfaced that Mayor Mafume spent the afternoon following the Minister’s press conference frantically attempting to bribe journalists and suppress the publication of the damning details.
The core of the scandal involves a sophisticated manipulation of the High Court. Minister Garwe detailed how the Council leadership allegedly initiated legal action against the City of Harare—the very entity they lead.
Once the “lawsuit” was filed, the Mayor’s team would promptly consent to the court orders they themselves had sought. This manufactured a “High Court Order” which the officials then used as a legal mandate to seize and distribute land, claiming they were merely following a judicial directive.
“They reported the council, not knowing it would come back to haunt them,” Minister Garwe remarked, flatly denying any personal involvement in land baroning. “The mayor and his team are the real land barons… They are the ones manipulating state property.”
Panic and Press Suppression
The Zimbabwe Times has received reports that the atmosphere turned desperate following the Minister’s briefing. Mafume is alleged to have launched an immediate damage-control operation, reportedly offering bribes to reporters to silence the specific allegations regarding the “self-suing” tactic and the involvement of four private companies linked to his circle.
The Minister’s disclosure has stripped away the veneer of “legal compliance” the Council had used to justify these controversial land allocations.
Despite the high-profile withdrawal of charges by complainant Mavis Java last week, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) is not backing down. Senior investigators insist the state will continue to pursue the fraud cases against Mayor Mafume, Deputy Mayor Rosemary Muronda, and former legislator Shadreck Mashayamombe.
Garwe revealed that he had held multiple meetings with Mafume, warning him that the net was closing in. He described the recent arrests as an “inevitable” consequence of a reckless disregard for state property and administrative integrity.
As the scandal widens, the focus now shifts to whether the judicial system will move to vacate the “consent orders” obtained through this alleged self-suing racket.
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