Harare residents have raised concern over the possible looting of funds realised under the municipality’s emergency services levy which was aimed at mobilising funds for the purchase of ambulances.
The levy was introduced at the beginning of 2025 as a mandatory charge initially called the ambulance levy before being rebranded to the emergency services levy.
Its stated purpose was to overhaul the capital’s crumbling emergency response system grappling with an acute shortage of ambulances.
Under the scheme, residents in high-density suburbs are expected to pay a fixed monthly levy of US1.50 while commercial and industrial properties are paying US$2.
Based on the city’s population and projected collections, the council promised that the funds would be used to purchase at least 36 new ambulances over the first year with a target of three ambulances per month.
However, reports indicate that less than 10 ambulances were bought last year, raising concern over the status of the fund.
Residents, however, said the City of Harare has been failing to provide timely updates about the levy amid fears the funds were being diverted elsewhere.
Harare Residents Trust (HRT) director Precious Shumba said heads should roll over the matter.
"The emergency services levy can buy at least three ambulances every month based on estimated revenues,” Shumba told Standard People. “However, there is a lack of transparency and accountability in the utilisation of the levy, which perpetuates the magnitude of trust and confidence in the council.”
He said the whole council is inefficient and ineffective in handling public funds.
"What is most worrying is that funds do not leave the council coffers unless they are destined for favourable service providers where they extract commissions for the award of the contracts to provide goods to the City,” he added.
"Health service delivery challenges can be easily overcome if the generated funds are utilised for the purposes for which they are intended.”
Combined Harare Residents Association director Reuben Akili said they are calling for an audit.
“The whole agenda was to have every suburb have an ambulance, and we would have expected to have several ambulances... it's a mockery," Akili said.
Harare mayor Jacob Mafume claimed sabotage on the issue surrounding the matter.
Harare, once dubbed the “Sunshine City,” has experienced a dramatic collapse in service delivery over the past two decades.
A combination of aging infrastructure, rampant corruption, political interference, and a crippling economic crisis has left the city barely functioning