The Harare mayoral mansion now a white elephant

The Harare mayoral mansion, now a white elephant continues to rot away unoccupied in Gunhill.

A visit to the mayoral mansion by the ZBC News raised such questions as to who is benefitting from the continued moribund state of the place.Does anybody feel pain that after spending the rate-payer’s money on the mansion, it is yet to justify its presence?Only security guards man the gates and there is no indication of life in the surroundings and the interior. Except for half mowed lawns, the rest carries no human feel to it.The whole building almost feels spooky.

What is even more surprising is that the luxurious mansion which could at least be rented out to generate income for the council has remained untouched.The mansion has expensive curtains and furniture, the unoccupied manor consists of a main house with six bedrooms on the first floor, a spacious functions area, an industrial kitchen, family kitchen, two enormous lounges, dining room, an exotic mayor’s suite on the ground floor, a powder room for ladies, large cloakroom, several lobbies and a luxurious bar carpeted wall to wall with imported persian carpets.

Worryingly, there are also signs that the magnificent structure could actually be deteriorating due to lack of maintenance.The mayoral mansion was built by former Harare mayor Solomon Tavengwa, but it remains a painful reminder of what happens when the public is considered last in matters where they should be consulted first.