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Marlborough
and Emerald Hill Residents to mobilise against collapsed service
delivery
Combined Harare
Residents Association (CHRA)
March 23, 2006
Residents of
Harare from all walks of life are awakening from their slumber to
join hands in their struggle to free themselves of commission bondage.
There are determined calls for total rates boycott and business
would be mobilised to support this cause.
As the tide for change
sweeps across Harare, residents of Emerald Hill and Marlborough
on Wednesday gathered at St Johns' High School to deliberate
on the challenges they face in Harare in terms of service delivery,
the 2006 budget and the illegal commission presiding over Harare.
CHRA also took the opportunity
of the gathering to reiterate that WATER DISCONNECTIONS are illegal.
If officials from the City of Harare attempt to disconnect their
water, they were advised to remind them that this is illegal and
they would take court action if necessary supported by CHRA.
Mike Davies, the CHRA
chairperson urged residents to withdraw the payment of their rates
as a way of forcing the City of Harare to consider the issues that
are being raised by residents but continue to be ignored.
He said residents are
not in control of their city, which is the second public institution
from central government.
"The Combined Harare
Residents' Association (CHRA) has a history of advocacy through
petitions, urgent court applications challenging the legality of
the Harare commission," he said. "Petitions generally
do not work but there are many ways to cause change.
"Residents'
money is going towards the suppression of citizens through corruption
and mismanagement of the municipality. There are no audited accounts
for residents to know how their money has been used in the last
years. Residents should not negotiate with their oppressors, who
have stolen our rights."
As a way forward, the
residents of Marlborough and Emerald Hill resolved to mobilise for
resistance against rates hikes, collapsed service delivery and the
illegal commission running the affairs of Harare.
They urged each other
to stop being individualistic and become part of a broad-based movement
of residents fighting to regain their city.
Joseph Rose, the chairperson
of CHRA's Membership Committee urged residents to identify
with the structures of CHRA and build their numbers at grassroots
in order to speak in one loud voice.
"For collective
action to succeed, people of Harare must unite and rally behind
CHRA so that we challenge the illegal commission at Town House as
one," he said. "CHRA has ceased to be along local associations
but people can join directly as members. The thrust is to build
our confidence and take collective action determined by the residents."
Emerging issues that
hindered residents' active participation in determining their
destiny was FEAR, lack of coordination.
Visit the CHRA
fact sheet
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