Corruption Exposed
A shocking revelation has emerged that City Parking, a company contracted by the Harare City Council (HCC), has been fleecing the council of millions of dollars in parking fees. The company, which was established to support the opposition party’s activities, has been remitting dues to HCC in local currency, despite collecting fees predominantly in hard currency.
Arbitrage Opportunity Exploited
The Commission of Enquiry set up by President Emmerson Mnangagwa has uncovered that City Parking has been exploiting an arbitrage opportunity to cream off USD and remit local currency, raising suspicions of parallel market activities. This has resulted in significant financial losses for HCC.
Calls for Accountability
The Commission must take swift action to unravel the deep-seated corruption within HCC and City Parking. The people of Harare demand accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.
HCC’s Legacy of Corruption
HCC has been plagued by unmitigated corruption, criminal abuse of office, nepotism, and incompetence, leading to a decline in service delivery. The city has been plagued by raw sewerage, uncollected refuse, potholed roads, haphazard settlements, and a lack of clean running water, resulting in the outbreak of medieval diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
Government Intervention
The New Dispensation has introduced several short-term programs to alleviate the situation, including the Urban Renewal Programme, the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP), the Presidential Borehole Scheme, and the Title Deeds Programme. A moratorium has also been imposed on all land allocations.
