Former Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni and ex-acting town clerk Josephine Ncube have been arrested on charges of criminal abuse of duty.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) confirmed the arrests late last night, shedding light on a case that has raised serious questions about governance and accountability in the management of city resources.
The allegations against Manyenyeni and Ncube stem from their involvement in altering a land development agreement between the City of Harare and Shelter Zimbabwe, which reportedly cost the city an estimated US$20 million in lost revenue.
In 2013, the Harare City Council entered into a contract with Shelter Zimbabwe to facilitate the development of 1,500 residential stands across 657 hectares in the Tafara and Mabvuku suburbs. The original contract stipulated that the local authority would handle the sale of these stands after proper servicing, with Shelter Zimbabwe tasked solely with infrastructure development.
However, in a controversial move in 2017, the duo purportedly amended the agreement, granting Shelter Zimbabwe the authority to sell unserviced stands.
This decision led to the sale of numerous plots without the necessary infrastructure being developed, leaving the local authority without critical funds and residents in limbo as they awaited promised services.
Both Manyenyeni and Ncube are expected to appear at the Harare Magistrates Court today.
