|
Back to Index
CHRA
re-affirms commitment to non-partisan principles
Combined Harare
Residents Association (CHRA)
June 13, 2006
The Combined
Harare Residents Association (CHRA) remains proud to be a member
of the broad struggle for genuine democracy in Zimbabwe. Our contribution
to the struggle is unquestionable and we continue to develop a loud
voice on behalf of residents in the capital in the face of horrendous
repression by an illegal Commission working for an illegitimate
regime.
In 1999 we sent
our delegates to the Working People's Convention and wholeheartedly
supported the creation of the Movement for Democratic Change as
a device through which civic society could contest directly for
political power to rescue the nation from the depredations of a
rapacious clique masquerading as a liberation party. This was a
logical development for civil society and the strategy may have
paid off were it not for the blatant theft of the 2000 election
by the mugabe regime.
We remain adamant
that only the structural reformation of our State and its institutions,
coupled with a respect for the rule of law and due process, will
begin to create a political environment in which all Zimbabweans,
irrespective of gender, ethnicity, class and other differences,
can participate and derive benefit from. We seek not to exchange
the faces of our masters but to engage in a profound re-ordering
of society that does away with masters and subjects altogether.
Since 2000,
we have witnessed with dismay the transformation of our Movement
into a political party whose agenda is driven by politicians rather
than activists. A party moreover that has exhibited many characteristics
of Zanu-PF especially in its hegemonic and dismissive attitude to
civics, its intolerance of alternative viewpoints and its acceptance
of violence, patronage, treating and other vices that unfortunately
appear to be entrenched in our political culture.
In 2002, we
forced the mugabe regime to hold elections for Harare's local authority
only to see many incompetent, self-serving individuals using their
election as councillors to further their narrow political ambitions.
The subsequent defections of councillors to zanu-pf highlighted
the failure of the MDC to select candidates of suitable principle,
proven civic commitment and strength of character to represent residents
properly. The 2005 split within the party has convinced us of the
need to re-affirm our commitment to non-partisan principles. To
this end we have strengthened our constitution to restrict the role
of office bearers of political parties in the structures and organs
of CHRA. We continue to welcome members of all political persuasions
provided that they are committed to the principles of the Association,
namely participatory democracy underpinned by transparency and accountability.
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
|
