By a Correspondent
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has revealed that he earns just US$250 a month, saying he is among the lowest-paid officials at the City of Harare despite widespread public perceptions that council leaders receive hefty salaries.
Speaking at an integrity and accountability summit, Mafume said both he and elected councillors receive modest allowances, dismissing claims that they are among the city’s top earners.
“For your information, I am the least-paid worker together with my councillors,” Mafume said. “I earn about US$250. The ordinary councillor gets about US$190.”
In a moment that drew laughter from delegates, Mafume joked that the suit he was wearing had not been bought using his mayoral earnings.
“The suit I’m wearing is from my wife, not from you,” he quipped.
His remarks come as the City of Harare remains under intense public scrutiny over allegations of excessive remuneration for senior executives, while residents continue to grapple with deteriorating service delivery, including erratic water supplies, uncollected refuse and crumbling roads.
Mafume acknowledged that executive salaries at Town House had previously reached unsustainable levels but said the council had begun reducing them.
“Yes, they were high. Even the executives were slashed by a third. They are still high, but it’s a work in progress,” he said.
The mayor said efforts to reform the local authority have come at a personal cost, exposing him to sustained criticism, legal battles and political attacks.
“A lot of lawsuits have come my way, a lot of attacks and so forth,” he said.
Mafume’s disclosure is likely to fuel fresh debate over remuneration and accountability at the City of Harare, where residents have repeatedly questioned how public funds are being spent as the capital struggles with chronic failures in basic municipal services.
