Staff Reporter

Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume is facing ridicule from residents after he was caught on camera carelessly throwing litter at Rufaro Stadium during a recent football match, despite publicly championing cleanliness and a "world-class city" agenda.

A viral video that has been circulating on social media shows Mafume, who is expected to set an example as the city's first citizen, disposing of waste on the ground.

The incident has sparked outrage, with many residents accusing him of hypocrisy and failing to uphold the very standards he preaches.

Several Harare residents who spoke to The Harare Post expressed disappointment, saying Mafume’s actions contradict the city’s mantra of achieving a clean, world-class urban environment.

“It’s embarrassing. The mayor is always talking about keeping Harare clean, yet he is the one throwing rubbish anywhere. If our leaders don’t respect the city, why should we?” said Tinashe Chikomo, a vendor near the stadium.

Another resident, Memory Chaza, mocked Mafume, saying, “Maybe he thinks the whole city is his bin. How can he expect us to be disciplined when he does this in public?”

Some social media users joined in the criticism, with one X (formerly Twitter) user posting, “World-class city, third-class mayor.”

 Others sarcastically suggested that Mafume should be fined for littering, just as council authorities often penalise residents for the same offence.

However, a few residents shifted blame to the Harare City Council, arguing that the lack of enough bins in public spaces makes littering almost unavoidable.

“To be fair, you can walk for kilometres in Harare without seeing a bin. The council must provide more bins before blaming people,” said Arnold Moyo, a taxi driver.

Despite this defence, critics insist that Mafume, as a leader, should have held onto his trash until he found a proper disposal point.

Mafume has repeatedly emphasised the need for Harare to meet international cleanliness standards, yet his actions have been called into question.

Political analyst Tanaka Mandizvidza said the incident damages the mayor’s credibility.

“When leaders fail to practise what they preach, it erodes public trust. This is  bad for someone pushing a cleanliness campaign,” Mandizvidza said.

The Harare City Council has not yet issued a statement on the matter.

Meanwhile, residents continue to mock the mayor online, with some jokingly saying he should be given a “littering ticket” by his own municipal police.

As the backlash grows, the question remains: Can Harare truly become a world-class city if its leaders don’t lead by example?