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Herald Reporter
THE Harare City Council has approved the procurement of office furniture worth $150 000 at the expense of service delivery. According to recent minutes of a Finance and Development Committee meeting, the committee prioritised the furniture project.

“The committee considered a report (dated September 5, 2017 circulated with the Agenda) by the Director of Housing and Social Development (Mr Edmore Nhekairo) on the need to purchase executive boardroom and conference furniture and divisional heads executive desks and chairs at an estimated cost of $150 000. The Director of Housing and Social Development advised that a sum of $150 000 had been provided in the 2017 Capital Estimates under Vote 5001 under his department.

“The Director of Housing and Social Development was now seeking authority to release funds from one vote to another within his department to facilitate the purchase of executive boardroom conference furniture, five executive desks and chairs for the department’s boardroom and divisional heads’ office furniture respectively,” read the minutes.

According to the minutes, the committee — after considering the financial implications — resolved that a sum of $150 000 being part of a pool of reserved funds provided in 2017 capital estimates under the Department of Housing and Social Development (Vote 5001) be released to finance the purchase of an executive boardroom conference furniture, five executive desks and chairs for the department’s boardroom and divisional heads’ office furniture respectively. The committee also resolved that subject to approval of the above statement, relating to the purchase of the executive board room, executive furniture and five executive desks and chairs for divisional heads at a cost of $150 000 be approved. The Harare City Council has over the years gained a bad reputation for failing to effectively deliver quality service ranging from provision of clean and safe water, garbage collection and servicing road networks amongst others.