Harare City Council: Clarifies Communication Authority After Road Closure Retraction

• Harare's Chief Traffic Officer, Martin Chimombe, announced a Bulawayo Road closure for September 28, 2026, due to an AFCON match.
• Harare Acting Town Clerk Warren Chiwawa swiftly retracted this claim on September 25, stating the City had not approved any such closure.
• Instead of road closures, municipal police will be stationed at key intersections around the National Sports Stadium to manage traffic flow.
• The City of Harare apologized for the confusion and urged residents to ignore the misleading notice.
• Only the Mayor, Acting Town Clerk, and Corporate Communications Manager are authorized to make public statements on Council issues.

Warren Chiwawa explicitly stressed that only a select group of individuals within the Council are empowered to speak to the media or issue public statements on Council-related matters.

Chief Superintendent Martin Chimombe, serving as Harare's Chief Traffic Officer, initially announced on a Wednesday a planned diversion for motorists traveling from Bulawayo towards the Harare city centre. This measure, scheduled for Monday, September 28, 2026, between 4 PM and 9 PM, was intended to manage an expected surge in traffic around the National Sport Stadium due to an evening match. The specific directive involved the closure of the Bulawayo road carriageway.

However, this announcement was swiftly contradicted by Harare Acting Town Clerk Warren Sean Chiwawa. In a notice issued on Friday, September 25, Chiwawa unequivocally stated that Chimombe's claim was false. He clarified that the statement, attributed to a senior municipal police officer, had incorrectly suggested that parts of Samora Machel would be closed for a period surrounding the match.

Chiwawa emphasized that the City of Harare had never resolved to implement such a closure, citing concerns that it would significantly worsen congestion for residents, particularly during peak hours. While acknowledging the anticipated large crowds and increased vehicular traffic around the National Sports Stadium due to the match, the City's actual plan involved a different approach. Instead of closing roads, municipal police officers would be strategically positioned at all intersections surrounding the National Sports Stadium, specifically along Samora Machel Avenue and Solomon Mujuru Drive (formerly Kirkman Drive), to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic. Motorists were advised to consider alternative routes where feasible and to exercise extreme caution while navigating the area.

The incident brought to the forefront critical questions regarding `Harare City Council communication authority` and official channels for public announcements. Harare Acting Town Clerk Warren Chiwawa explicitly stressed that only a select group of individuals within the Council are empowered to speak to the media or issue public statements on Council-related matters.

These authorized roles are strictly limited to the Mayor, the Town Clerk himself, and the Corporate Communications Manager. This clear directive serves to centralize and formalize the process of `City of Harare public statements`, aiming to prevent future misinformation and ensure consistency in public messaging.

The retraction of the `Bulawayo Road closure retraction` by a senior municipal police officer implicitly highlights the boundaries of `Zimbabwe municipal police authority` in making policy-level announcements. It underscores that while municipal police play a crucial role in traffic management, public policy decisions and their communication must originate from the designated administrative and political leadership, reinforcing the importance of adhering to established communication protocols.

The conflicting information and subsequent `Bulawayo Road closure retraction` necessitated a public apology from the City of Harare for any inconvenience caused to residents and motorists. The City explicitly urged the public to disregard the misleading notice, underscoring the potential for confusion and disruption when unauthorized information circulates and impacts public planning.

This event carries significant implications for public trust and administrative efficiency. For legal practitioners and compliance officers who regularly engage with the City Council, this incident provides a vital lesson: it is imperative to rely exclusively on official `City of Harare public statements` issued by the Mayor, Acting Town Clerk Warren Chiwawa, or the Corporate Communications Manager. Acting on information from unauthorized sources could lead to incorrect advice or actions, highlighting the potential for internal communication breakdowns within the municipal administration.

Ensuring adherence to these specified communication channels is crucial for maintaining clarity, avoiding missteps, and upholding the integrity of the Council's directives. The incident serves as a practical example of why understanding the `Harare City Council communication authority` is paramount for anyone dealing with municipal affairs.

This incident clarifies the official channels for public communication from the City of Harare, specifying that only the Mayor, Town Clerk, and Corporate Communications Manager are authorized. Lawyers and compliance officers dealing with the City Council must ensure they rely only on statements from these authorized individuals to avoid acting on incorrect information, and should be aware of potential internal communication breakdowns within the municipal administration.

Source: Original reporting via local news reports.