Proclamation 2 of 2024 Harare City Council since 2017

The President has established a Commission of Inquiry into local governance by Harare City Council since 2017. It is chaired by Retired Justice Maphios Cheda, with the Permanent Secretary for Local Government and Public Works as Secretary. The other commissioners are Steven Chakaipa, Norbert Phiri, Lucia Gladys Matibenga and Khonzani Ncube.

The inquiry runs for six months from the date of gazetting, with an option of a further three months, at a venue the Commission determines. The report must go to the President within three months of the inquiry being completed. Hearings may be held in public or in private as the Commission sees fit.

The terms of reference are wide. The Commission is to investigate the council's financial management systems and compliance with the Public Finance Management Act [Chapter 22:19]; the financial management of revenue generated through special vehicle companies and other outsourced arrangements; and why the council failed to operate an Enterprise Resource Planning system, quantifying the losses that resulted.

It is also to examine the procedures used to manage, sell, lease or transfer council property to private entities; whether council meetings were properly convened and standing orders followed; and compliance with procurement law including the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act [Chapter 22:23] and the disposal of assets.

The Commission may conduct site visits, summon witnesses, record proceedings and testimony, and investigate any other matter it considers relevant, before reporting its findings and recommendations to the President in writing.

Note that the six-month period was later extended to nine months by Proclamation 5 of 2024, published in S.I. 180 of 2024.