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CHRA castigates the reappointment of the Makwavarara Commission
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
June 28, 2006

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) insists that the reappointment of the Makwavarara Commission is an illegal move by the Government. Harare residents have made it clear that they want an elected council but the Government has once again turned a deaf ear to the plight of ratepayers.

The commission has proved to be a curse rather than a blessing to the residents of Harare. It has failed to live up to the expectations of the residents. It is surprising that the Minister of Local Government, Public Works and Urban Development, Ignatius Chombo, is praising the Commission saying it has done ‘a good job’.

The Minister was reckless and inconsiderate. In a democracy people listen to each other before taking action. The principle of re-appointing commissions beyond the mandatory nine months has been ruled illegal by the High Court and the Supreme Court (Makarau’s judgement in Case Number HC12862/00 of Christopher Magwenzi Zvobgo versus the City of Harare.

Supreme Court judge Justice Wilson Sandura in the case of Lottie Stevenson versus the Minister of Local Government and others in case SC 38/02 and High Court judge Justice Hungwe’s judgement in case Number HH 210/2001 of CHRA and another versus the Registrar-General) have made similar judgements.

The City of Harare is in a sorry state. Most residential areas are littered with piles of uncollected garbage, posing environmental and health threats. The Commission is a total failure. Since its inception Harare services have deteriorated from one rung of decadence to another level of rot.

Residents have been charged for weekly refuse collection yet it has not provided this service. Residents reject this principle of ‘pay and get nothing’. Instead they demand to pay for tangible services.

The Herald on 8 June 2006 reported that, "Parliament yesterday expressed concern over deteriorating service delivery by urban local authorities, saying they should examine their operations and come up with corrective measures"

The same paper also quoted the Mazowe West Member of the House of Assembly Margaret Zinyemba as saying, "There are perennial problems regarding uncollected garbage, bursting pipes, potholes and erratic water supplies." One wonders whether the honourable Minister was present in this particular parliamentary session or not.

The residents of Harare want a democratically elected Council with a Mayor not an imposed and inefficient Commission. Moreover the residents should be the right people to judge whether the Commission has been a success or not because they are the ones being ‘served’. The Zimbabwe Independent (25-31 May 2006) pointed out that, "More than half of the Harare City Council’s budget of 18, 9 trillion for this year will be chewed by salaries with service delivery getting only 6 trillion dollars."

CHRA calls on the government to immediately rescind its ill-advised decision to re-appoint Makwavarara and re-engage the residents before the situation gets out of control. If this call is ignored, CHRA will have no option but to use the resources at its disposal to mobilise residents for a total rates boycott without further warnings.

We have mobilised and residents are willing to take part in this collective action. Other courses of action will be defined by the residents as the struggle continues.

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