Back to Index

First ZANU PF, then MDC, then Independent, the ZANU PF - Makwavarara's journey
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
Extracted from The Resident, Issue 40
August 27, 2004

The allegiances of the Acting Mayor of Harare, Cllr. Sekesayi Makwavarara have been likened to developmental phases in the life of a youth noted especially for identity crisis. First she was a ZANU PF member, then she turned MDC and subsequently won the WARD 21 council seat on that party's ticket, then she resigned from the MDC and went "Independent". Now she is back to ZANU PF, and this time she is staying, according to the Herald (09 August 2004)

Any justification premised on freedom on association that can profered in defence of this chemeleon behaviour smacks of highest levels self aggrandisement at the expense of the electorate. It is a betrayal of the mandate that she was given by the people that elected her into office to say the least. The Cll Makwavarara (and the other four) came into office on an MDC ticket, in line with the political choice of the electorate in their wards, and now that she has turned the scales and become ZANU PF, not through the ballot in Ward 21, eyebrows are raised.

Residents have read this as the regime's successful infiltration of local government affairs. Civic politics has been rendered secondary to party politics in the City of Harare. The story of Harare from the day of the municipal elections has been infested with ministerial directives, suspensions and dismissals, making a mockery to the fundamental puropose of municipal, namely, service delivery.

The continued neglect of residents' concerns is slowly leading to their exclusion in the local government spheres. Residents have blasted council for failing to clean up the city and have condemned the recently created office of the Governor for paying lip service to the concerns of the residents, including the team led by J. Kurasha.

Residents should stand up and demand their right to be represented by anyone from a political of their choice before it is too late. This right must be demonstrable in the improvement of quality of lives and efficient (and effective) service delivery and not culculated moves to self aggrendisement.

Visit the CHRA fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP