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Hypocrisy revealed in Mudzuri suspension
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
May 07, 2003

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition condemns the double standards exhibited by the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing in suspending the Executive Mayor of Harare, Eng. Elias Mudzuri for alleged “mismanagement of City affairs leading to a decline in service delivery to the residents and ratepayers of Harare.”

In reality, however, since Mudzuri’s election, it is the Minister of Local Government that has interfered with the City Council and frustrated attempts of the Executive Mayor to run the city. Despite this, the Executive Mayor has continued to perform his duties, and has provided critical services to the people of Harare to as great an extent as possible. Notably, his bona fide attempts to consult residents have been thwarted by riot police for nebulous political reasons.

The arbitrary suspension of Mudzuri represents a double standard in the application of authority by the Minister of Local Government. While other local authorities continue to suffer under poor service delivery, similar action has not been adopted. Indeed, the whole country is a victim of mismanagement and poor service delivery, and yet not a single member of the executive has been fired. Hospitals are largely dysfunctional, as are schools, colleges and universities. There are rampant food, fuel and foreign currency shortages. Surely if service delivery were so important, the entire government would have been fired by now.

Beyond this, the actions of the Minister of Local Government come at a time when service delivery from some of the nation’s largest parastatal organisations—such as NOCZIM and ZESA—has collapsed. And yet no one in the Ministry of Energy has been asked to pack their bags or go on unpaid leave.

The Coalition condemns the hypocrisy of the Minister of Local Government suspending an elected representative of Zimbabwe’s capital city. Mudzuri was popularly elected by the residents of Harare to serve a four-year term. Most residents have noted with gratitude his council’s attempt to repair roads and traffic lights and to attend to refuse collection, among other services. The Member of Parliament for Zvimba North is obliged to defer to the interests of Harare residents in this matter. If the rural MP holds a contrary opinion, the matter should be put to a referendum at his expense. Until then, Harare residents have a right to be represented by their elected leader.

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