By Staff Reporter
HARARE — The City of Harare recently appointed substantive chamber secretary Warren Chiwawa has assumed the duties of town clerk at Harare City Council.
This development is grounded in the Urban Councils Act, which provides that whenever the office of town clerk is vacant, absent or incapacitated, the chamber secretary shall perform the functions of the town clerk.
Section 137(2) of the Act states: “Whenever the office of town clerk is vacant or the town clerk is absent or incapacitated or fails to act, the chamber secretary shall perform the functions conferred or imposed upon the town clerk by this Act or any other law or by any resolution of the council.”
Under the same law, the chamber secretary is responsible for “preparing and distributing minutes of the proceedings of a council and its committees,” “preparing and distributing agendas and notices of any mayoral, council or committee meetings,” and carrying out “any other duties which may be assigned… by the town clerk.”
Chiwawa had been serving in an acting capacity since 2021 and last Thursday assumed the town clerk role on a substantive basis.
Council officials said the confirmation is expected to bring greater administrative continuity following years of leadership instability at Town House.
Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume said the transition would be guided strictly by the law.
“That’s what the law says, but he may appoint or allow for the appointment of a town clerk while settling in. I will confirm with him, as he is the chief legal adviser,” he said.
Before his confirmation, Chiwawa had already been credited with several constructive initiatives during his tenure at the local authority.
As acting chamber secretary, he championed the adoption of a Local Authority Digital System aimed at improving administrative efficiency through integrated electronic records management and virtual meeting capabilities, part of a broader effort to modernise council operations and improve the ease of doing business.
In 2025, he was also involved in the rollout of an automated traffic enforcement system targeting road safety and compliance at Harare’s busiest intersections, with officials citing its emphasis on accountability among motorists.
Chiwawa’s leadership has been recognised beyond the council.
In 2024, he received a gold award for Outstanding Local Authority Legal Leader of the Year from the Zimbabwe CEO’s Network in recognition of his performance and contributions to local governance and legal practice.
A lawyer by training, Chiwawa previously served in the Attorney General’s Office as a senior law officer responsible for legislative drafting and later worked as a legal adviser in the cotton industry before joining Harare City Council.
Over the past decade, he rose through the ranks at Town House from senior legal officer to chief legal officer and later acting chamber secretary.
The town clerk’s office has been vacant since the departure of Hosiah Chisango in 2024 after more than 30 years of service.
His exit followed a suspension over allegations that included the awarding of a street lighting tender to a blacklisted company and the extension of his contract without council approval.
The position had experienced prolonged instability following the departure of Josephine Ncube in 2018.
Afterward, Charles Kandemiri served in an acting capacity before his arrest and suspension in 2021, and was later sentenced to six years in prison in 2023 for attempting to sell Mount Pleasant Golf Club and Golf Course.
Council officials said Chiwawa’s substantive appointment is expected to restore confidence in executive decision-making, strengthen governance systems and reinforce accountability at Town House.
