Mayor Jacob Mafume says the capital is crafting strategies to move away from “hand-to-mouth” operations and place the city on a sustainable financial footing.
Harare faces multiple challenges, including weak management systems, poor service delivery and inadequate urban planning, all of which have strained infrastructure development.
Speaking at a Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) and City of Harare business breakfast dialogue, Mafume said the local authority is working on new models to improve efficiency amid an economic slowdown.
“Going forward, we are committed to complying with audits, clearing all audit backlogs and achieving full compliance by year-end. This will allow us to unlock better financing models,” Mafume said.
“We cannot sustain a city on a hand-to-mouth basis. We need to move towards infrastructure bonds and municipal bonds, and access more sophisticated financing mechanisms. We are also working on improving procurement efficiency so that our systems are transparent, reliable and easier to use.”
Mafume said the city must urgently address its fiscal challenges to meet its 2026 budget targets for sustainable service delivery and infrastructure renewal.
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CZI Mashonaland Chamber president Wellington Dangarembizi echoed the need to overhaul Harare’s funding model, saying traditional financing methods are no longer adequate.
“We must reimagine the city’s funding model. The era where finance relied solely on structural charges is no longer sufficient. The future lies in blended financing models, public-private partnerships, and restoring municipal trading spaces and workplaces,” Dangarembizi said.
“Business is not a passive observer; it is a co-creator of the city, bringing capital, technical expertise and execution capacity. However, this relationship must move beyond informal engagement and be institutionalised.”
CZI said there is a need to establish formal communication channels between the City of Harare and the business community to ensure structured and effective collaboration.