Harare city Councillors buying residents groceries in exchange for votes- HRT

ZwNews Chief Correspondent

The Harare Residents Trust (HRT) has said the organisation has received disturbing reports that some councillors within the Harare City Council have been buying groceries for residents in exchange for votes.

“The HRT has received disturbing reports that some corrupt ward councillors seeking re-election have been buying groceries, including chickens for their perceived supporters ahead of the polls slated for 30 July 2018,” said HRT in a statement.

The Trust urged the residents not to be bought by anything, adding that doing so shows that such residents are as corrupt as the councillors who are buying votes, and warns that being bought by a councillor would render the residents powerless when it comes to holding office bearers accountable.

HRT said it will mobilise residents against any of the sitting councillors who deviate from their constitutional mandate and violated the rights of residents during their tenure (2013-2018).

The resident Trust further said it will exposed councillors’ transgressions such as ward abandoning, nepotism; i.e. favouritism in recruiting of one’s relatives to fill council jobs, and any other abuse of office to the electorate.

Meanwhile, during the course of the past five years (2013-2018 tenure), there have been a lot of reports that some councillors have been allegedly involved underhand dealings, such tender allocations to friends, amid other various procurement irregularities.