HARARE – The Harare City Council (HCC) has mandated that all committee chairpersons must read and confirm the minutes of their meetings before circulating them.

This directive aims to curb instances of chairpersons allegedly altering proposals and slipping them into sub-committee resolutions without following proper procedures.

The situation has become so problematic that some officials are secretly pushing resolutions to advance personal interests, bypassing the city’s established protocols and risking the implementation of improper resolutions.

During last Thursday’s full council meeting, HCC acting chamber secretary, Warren Chiwawa, expressed frustration over these actions and ordered that minutes be reviewed and agreed upon before being presented to the full council.

“Going forward, chairpersons of various committees must sit down with committee officers and agree on the minutes before they are forwarded to the full council meeting,” Chiwawa stated. “This procedure will ensure all anomalies are addressed promptly. We are tired of committee members questioning the credibility of the minutes submitted to us.”

Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume echoed Chiwawa’s concerns, expressing dismay at the unprofessional behavior of some councillors. He warned that an order to discuss issues on notice might be issued if the situation does not improve.

The full council meeting also addressed the issue of councillors leaking confidential documents despite having signed the Official Secrets Act. The chamber secretary’s office has been tasked with exploring ways to prevent such breaches in the future.