City of Harare Apologises After Municipal Police Officer Caught Slapping Woman in Viral Mbare Video

By Southerton Business Times | Harare

The City of Harare has apologised after a viral video showing an off-duty municipal police officer slapping a woman inside a council banking hall in Mbare triggered public outrage, with the local authority confirming that disciplinary action will be taken against the officer. The incident is the second public apology issued by the City of Harare within 24 hours, following criticism over a City Parking marshal who allegedly clamped a mother's vehicle while she was rushing her sick child to hospital.

In a statement issued on 24 July 2026, the local authority acknowledged the incident but said the widely circulated video did not capture the events that led to the confrontation.

"The City of Harare is aware of a video circulating on social media in which an off-duty municipal police officer is seen slapping a woman in the banking hall in Mbare," the council said.

According to the City of Harare, the off-duty officer allegedly jumped the queue inside the banking hall, prompting the woman to confront him.

"We will take action against the municipal police officer. The facts are that the off-duty officer went to the banking hall and jumped the queue, a development which infuriated the woman," the statement read.

The council said the woman later submitted a written statement describing the incident.

According to the local authority, she alleged that she confronted the officer, leading to pushing and shoving between the pair.

"According to the woman's own account, which she gave in writing, she confronted the officer, pushing and shoving him. We have gathered that the woman also bit the officer on the finger, and he had to be treated at the clinic."

The City of Harare said the confrontation escalated before the officer slapped the woman, adding that the viral clip circulating online showed only part of the incident.

"This resulted in an altercation, and the officer slapped the woman. The video being circulated did not show the earlier stages of the confrontation, as they were edited out."

Police subsequently arrested both the municipal police officer and the woman on allegations of public violence before later releasing them as investigations continue.

The council said it would pursue internal disciplinary proceedings against the officer regardless of the ongoing police investigation.

"They were both arrested by police for public violence and were both released. However, on the part of the City of Harare, we want to assure residents that we will take disciplinary action against the municipal police officer."

The incident comes as the City of Harare faces growing scrutiny over the conduct of its frontline staff following a separate controversy involving a City Parking marshal. That incident involved allegations that a parking marshal clamped a vehicle while a mother was attempting to rush her seriously ill five-year-old child to hospital, prompting Mayor Jacob Mafume and city officials to promise an investigation.

The back-to-back controversies have fuelled calls from residents and civic groups for improved customer service, accountability and professional conduct among municipal employees. Police investigations into the Mbare incident are continuing, while the City of Harare says further details will be released once both the criminal investigation and internal disciplinary process have been concluded.

City of Harare municipal police officer