Hare City Council Leased A Dam Supplying Water To Harare To A Zanu PF Official – Report

The Harare City Council officials are under fire after it emerged that the city fathers awarded a 23-year-old lease of Harava Dam to a Zanu PF official who is using the dam that is supposed to supply water to Prince Edward water plant to mold bricks, The Standard reports.

The dam which was leased to the ruling party official would pump raw water to Prince Edward and it would be pumped to Sunningdale, Chitungwiza, Hatfield, Mbare according to the publication.

The matter reportedly came to light during a meeting where council officials reportedly met Harare provincial development coordinator (PDC) Tafadzwa Muguti. Muguti reportedly asked the city fathers to explain the matter and the City Of Harare said:

Government is investigating how an individual was given the lease of Harava Dam when the dam is supposed to feed the whole city. The individual makes bricks, the dam has dried up,

An official that spoke to the publication about the controversial deal said the Zanu PF official was nowhere near the deal and it was handled by some agents:

The person, who got the lease came masquerading as a state agent and worked his way until he got the lease. The lease was later signed by the deputy mayor, then Mupamaonde, after a finance committee meeting.

When contacted for comment Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said they are investigating the circumstances of how the official only identified as Zhakata got the lease:

We are looking into the circumstances of the lease of that dam. We have noted that the purpose that it was intended for is not the purpose that it is being used for, so we are going to relook into the issue with a view to its cancellation.

It is one of our water sources, therefore, it is important for us to maintain its ownership with the city and that it be used in an ecologically sensitive manner.

Harare has been battling dire water shortages for time immemorial as some suburbs are going for weeks without running water while other taps dried up many months and years ago.

More: The Standard

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