Crisis Point: Harare’s Prolonged Search for Finance Director a Cause for Concern

The Harare Residents’ Trust (HRT) has expressed alarm over the prolonged delay in appointing a substantive finance director at the City of Harare, warning that the failure to finalize this crucial recruitment is exacerbating the city’s financial crisis and allowing corruption to flourish.

Precious Shumba, Director of the Harare Residents’ Trust, outlined the ongoing challenges, emphasizing that despite the recruitment process being finalized in February 2025, it has yet to be approved and presented to the Local Government Board for the final selection process.

“We know this is a work in progress, but the lack of progress has led to a severe governance breakdown,” Shumba said, highlighting that the delay is not only frustrating but is also deliberately stalling the city’s financial oversight.

By Ruvarashe Gora

Shumba pointed out that while the recruitment process had initially gained traction in early 2025, it has now been indefinitely delayed after being referred back to the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee, where it appears to have been purposely shelved. This, Shumba mentioined, is a calculated move to protect powerful figures within the council.

“The council is actively stalling the process. This is a clear case of powerful forces within Town House manipulating the system to protect their interests,” he said.

He outlined the various issues stemming from the lack of a substantive finance director, noting that the city has been operating without a permanent director since 2018. This ongoing vacancy has left the council vulnerable to mismanagement and corruption, with acting finance directors having limited authority to control spending and enforce financial discipline.

“The acting finance directors lack the authority to make critical decisions. This leadership gap has led to financial leakages, misappropriation of funds, and a complete collapse in service delivery”.

The HRT has called for urgent intervention from the government and the Local Government Board to finalize the recruitment of a substantive finance director. The organization also demands a full investigation into the roles played by Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume and Councillor George Mujajati, the chairperson of the Human Resources and General Purposes Committee, in stalling the appointment.

“If this issue is not addressed immediately, the City of Harare will continue to lose millions of dollars, and residents will bear the consequences of poor governance and corruption,” Shumba said.