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Harare residents resolve to end tyranny in the capital
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
July 17, 2006

This is the summarised report of the three public meetings held on Saturday 15 July 2006 in Mabvuku, Kambuzuma and Highfield.

Harare residents have come up with a concoction of resolutions to move the agendas of restoring Harare to its rightful owners as a matter of urgency.

Three public meetings held at Mabvuku Community Hall Area D’, Kambuzuma Community Hall and at Zororo Community Centre on Saturday 15 July 2006. These gatherings were organised with the main objective of raising residents’ awareness of their rights to representation at Town House and defining the areas of collective response.

At all these gatherings the residents were unanimous in their demands and called on the government and the City of Harare to immediately address the issues affecting residents in areas of service delivery, the circus at Town House, the illegal commission running the affairs of Harare, and the water crisis.

Addressing the Mabvuku gathering, Joseph Rose, Ward 21 coordinator and also the Chairperson of the Membership Committee said residents had to make clear demands on the government, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) and the City of Harare.

Israel Mabhoo, the Acting Chairperson of CHRA, who addressed the Highfield gathering told CHRA Information afterwards that: "People are now geared to show their anger by way of protests. The good thing about all these public meetings is that residents are expressing their true feelings. The City of Harare has been robbing residents and residents will no longer keep quiet. Their anger is apparent and that is what we as CHRA has to harness and use it productively."

He said ‘Residents must respond promptly to issues affecting them and not to wait for someone to come in and give them the solutions," Rose said. "The Combined Harare Residents’ Association will not sit back and watch things get worse at Town House and residents are reduced to objects of public ridicule. Residents will determine how Harare is run.

"CHRA is law-abiding organisation that believes in the laws of this country but will not hesitate to confront the municipality and the government over collapsed service delivery. We have to pursue the legal route first just for the record; whatever happens thereafter depends on the municipality’s response to our issues."

Also speaking at the Kambuzuma public meeting, attended by nearly 400 residents, Jabusile Shumba, the CHRA Advocacy and Training Officer said residents should stop being cry-babies but should take the initiative to restore their city to its rightful owners.

He said: "The City of Harare has pursued a route of illegality from budget formulation, implementation to service delivery. The culture of impunity that we witness today is a direct result of the illegal commission in charge of the capital. As residents we should not be hoodwinked by inconsistent statements coming from Town House. We should get organised and move together as a community o9f residents to defend what is legitimately ours for the taking."

He explained that the budget that the City of Harare has implemented was carried through despite written objections lodged by Harare residents at Town House. This was a clear indication that the commission running the affairs of Harare was irresponsible, arrogant and illegitimate.

At all the public gatherings, the residents were mainly concerned with the absence of an elected council mandated by the residents to run their affairs. They also raised their concern over the involvement of ZINWA in water supply and administration which has cost the residents more money in rates payment.

The gatherings rejected the joint statement placed in the media by the City of Harare and ZINWA encouraging "residents to pay the May water rates instead of the new rates imposed by ZINWA in June".

CHRA is issuing out objection letters on the water crisis in Harare. These letters are being collected from our CHRA offices at Daventry House Room 103, at corner South Avenue and Angwa Street.

Below are the key resolutions of the public meetings which residents said there would be no compromise on those demands;

• Residents reject the continued involvement of ZINWA in water supply and administration in Harare.
• Mayoral and council elections must be held in Harare before residents can fund the municipality under a commission through payment of rates. No taxation without representation!
• Residents shall not pay for un-provided services like refuse collection, arguing that there is contract between the City of Harare and residents through an exchange of value.
• The workforce at the Kambuzuma District Office is incompetent and has to be replaced if the municipality hopes to maintain a relation with residents.
• Residents want the District Offices to give residents a total breakdown of income and expenditure at each of the 29 district and sub-district offices in Harare.
• Residents demand actual meter readings and not estimate readings and,
• To wage a total rates boycott by mobilising all residents and the business community until Town House is restored to Harare residents.

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