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Farewell message from the outgoing Chair of CHRA
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
July 23, 2008

Dear comrades, colleagues and friends,

My second term of office as Chair of the Combined Harare Residents Association [CHRA] ended on 5 July and a new leadership was elected at our AGM. After an effective six years at the helm of the organisation, it is certainly time to hand over power to a new team who will I hope maintain our ideals and goals.

I thank all of you who have sent messages of solidarity and best wishes. The new team lead by comrade Simba Moyo will, I hope, continue to enjoy your support in the coming months and years as they grapple with enormous challenges, not least of which are emerging from disgruntled former employees and members who seek to establish bogus associations for opportunistic reasons while sabotaging our reputation with innuendo and disinformation. Our friends will not give credence to these and I trust will inform their colleagues

I thank those comrades who have worked in the organisation as members or in the Secretariat to build a better society for all Zimbabweans. It is testimony to their efforts that the Association continues to exist despite the efforts of the regime to undermine and destroy us.

I will continue to be active in CHRA in my role as Chair of Ward 8 and as a member of the General Council and I hope to be able to contribute my experience to the continuing growth of the residents movement in Zimbabwe and the region as a real alternative to centralist and hegemonic tendencies that marginalise and disenfranchise our citizens.

During my tenure, CHRA has transformed itself from a federation of local residents' associations into a mass membership organisation that has become a significant actor in the struggle for genuine democracy in our capital city and our country. We have ended the phenomenon of local cliques who, contrary to our democratic principles, maintained residents associations as their preserves (for whatever reason) and failed to engage the residents in any meaningful manner.

I append my report from the AGM for a more detailed analysis.

CHRA AGM - 5 July 2008
Welcome and a very good morning to our members, invited guests, donors, friends, colleagues and residents.

We gather today under a heavy cloud of oppression that has seen our members abducted, beaten and murdered by the regime. For the first time in our existence, we have been forced to delay the AGM for nearly four months because of the current situation and the ongoing threats to our members. I wish to pay tribute to the dedication of CHRA's activists and their determination to continue to promote the ideals of the Association. You are all architects of a new Zimbabwe that will surely arise from the ashes in due course.

This is my farewell report as Chairman, a post I have held for the maximum two terms, although I have effectively been at the helm for six years now. I have overseen the transition of your Association from a federation of autonomous local residents associations into a dynamic mass movement that has gained the respect of many for its work. I trust we will continue along the path of a progressive, dynamic, pro-poor social movement that provides an effective and necessary platform for residents to address their issues and to hold elected representatives accountable.

Today's AGM is an elective one and will see a new leadership elected to the highest levels of the Association. Many challenges will confront the leaders, some of which have faced us for many years while others will be new.

External challenges
The very existence of CHRA is testimony to the strength of our commitment to democratic change in Zimbabwe. The Association continues to grow despite the enormous obstructions that confront us daily.

I do not need to detail the long litany of inflation, migration, economic collapse, poverty, political oppression, intolerance, violence and other miseries visited upon the nation by an illegitimate regime, desperate to retain power at any cost. CHRA is afflicted by all of these as are our civic colleagues and our members and we continue to address these to the best of our abilities. We try not to have unrealistic expectations: without a resolution of the national governance crisis, there is little chance of correcting the current degraded state of local government in Zimbabwe which requires a structural overhaul if it is to become an area of real democracy that encourages citizens' participation.

The National governance crisis
The recent elections have worsened the national governance crisis and the increased violence has made a mockery of the State. There can be no doubt that the regime is completely illegitimate and has chosen a dangerous path that is turning our country into a new Liberia. I remind those of us old enough to remember how it was the intransigence of the Smith regime that forced the nationalists into the bloody and protracted war of liberation. The regime has said they will go to war to defend their power. If this happens, then all our efforts in CHRA and elsewhere to create a democratic society will be ended. Civil society must intensify efforts to mobilise the regional states to intervene more forcefully to prevent this.

The local governance crisis
After five years without a functioning legitimate Council, we at last have an elected Council that can begin to address the crisis in our city. I salute the bravery of those who seek to be part of the solution and recognise the enormous risks they take to do so. I note with horror the barbarous murder of Abigail Chiroto, the wife of the Deputy Mayor, who was abducted and savagely murdered the day after MDC councillors proposed that Councillor Emmanuel Chiroto be elected Mayor. Let us stand for a minute's silence to remember the life of Mrs Chiroto and all those who have been murdered for their belief in a free and democratic Zimbabwe.

The new Council faces huge challenges, not least of which is the investigation of the looting of municipal resources by the illegal Commission lead by Makwavarara and then Mahachi. As in the past, the regime will do everything to frustrate and undermine any opposition-dominated Council. Indeed it failed to swear in the Council for more than three months while it developed its strategies for control. Its first act has been to impose some of the members of the illegal commission as so-called councillors!

CHRA will stand by the new Council in its efforts to carry out their mandate. We have already spoken with councillors to identify ways in which we can assist them. There will shortly be a more structured engagement to develop a working relationship.

CHRA is today formally calling off the rates boycott following the installation of the new Council. The boycott denied significant funding to the illegal commission and I salute those who had the courage to stand up and refuse to fund the oppressors who unleashed crimes like Operation Murambatsvina upon our people. Hopefully the new Council will spend our money on productive policies that will begin to undo the destruction of our city resulting from years of abuse by imposed and corrupt leaders.

The economic crisis
Our city, as much as our country, is reeling from the collapse of the economy. Hyper-inflation makes budgeting in local currency an impossibility. CHRA accepts that it is impossible for residents to meet our operating costs. For the foreseeable future, we will continue to rely on our donors who have been incredibly supportive throughout these difficult times. I would like to thank all our donors who have funded a number of programmes over the past year.

Ultimately however CHRA must demonstrate its value and relevance to persuade sufficient residents to join, subscribe (at a realistic level!) and sustain the Association.

The Reserve Bank continues to predate upon our funding, insisting on approving every expenditure. This is an intolerable interference in our affairs and obviously is intended to undermine our operations. I pay tribute to our staff for their loyalty through this time which has seen them go without pay for months due to this intrusive attempt at sabotage.

The social crisis
Our society has literally been decimated by the political crisis. Most of our adult population has left the country or are migrant workers. The effects of the catastrophic HIV pandemic have been worsened by the poverty and dislocation caused by the regime's 'policies' - from the farm invasions to Operation Murambatsvina. This impoverishment has caused a much higher death toll due to AIDS than would have occurred if people had decent accommodation, sufficient food and access to health care.

The destruction of community through partisan violence unleashed by the regime against not only opposition members but all democratic activists will take years to heal. A new government will have to implement policies to heal shattered communities, to rehabilitate those of our young people who have been paid or coerced into carrying out horrendous attacks and murders. CHRA must develop proposals for this healing process that we can implement at grassroots level.

Internal challenges
The organisational development of a CSO such as CHRA cannot be achieved overnight. The Association is a dynamic and fluid entity that must constantly adapt to both internal and external pressures and demands. To this end I will confine myself to a few general comments to give a sense of the challenges that face the new leadership.

Membership
CHRA's transition to a mass membership organisation is commendable and has seen the Association transform from a relatively closed alliance of local residents groups into a dynamic civil society organisation. However we need to expand radically from the unacceptably low current figure to numbers sufficient to give us real power. We need to develop real meaning to the generality of residents so that they can see clear and concrete rewards deriving from membership of the organisation. To this end, programmes like the Mbare clean-up are essential mobilisation tools which deliver real benefits to the community. We cannot afford to focus solely upon issues of governance and democracy but need also to develop more community-based programmes.

The validation exercise we recently carried out was a necessary enforcement of our Constitution and Procedures. The pain of the exercise was felt by many but I think we all accept the need to ensure that the Association is truly non-partisan and is not the tool of any political party. The Association has always tried to avoid being a stepping stone for aspiring politicians to use on their path to political power. It may, of course, decide to change this and there is perhaps an argument for CHRA to become a training ground for future Councillors. Indeed several recently elected Councillors have developed their leadership skills as members of CHRA and we hope that they will continue to promote our ideals of transparency and accountability now that they are on the "other side of the fence", so to speak.

A major strength of CHRA is the core value of volunteerism - we need members who are motivated by principle, by vision and by integrity. Members must guard against opportunists who will use CHRA for their own selfish agendas. We have developed some safeguards which seem to work judging by the occasional appearance of new residents groups formed by disgruntled former members. CHRA has no need to worry about such formations: our efforts speak for us.

General Council
General Council is the ultimate governing body of the Association and meets monthly to deliberate on issues. I feel that the current system is unwieldy and cumbersome and limits the role that General Council should play. Meeting for 2 hours once a month is not enough - less frequent but longer meetings may allow more substantial input from General Council especially towards policy formulation. General Council also needs to develop clear procedures such as adopting a parliamentary-style debating process based on resolutions, rather than the current rather loose approach.

CHRA will conduct an induction process for new General Council members. You have a duty to understand the Association and to take the effort to study our history and achievements. It is only by understanding the past, that we can perhaps avoid repeating our mistakes. CHRA has a rich history that will hopefully be recorded one day to chronicle our work. I will make every effort to ensure that this heritage is continued.

The Committee system
The Standing Committees are the core of CHRA's work. Unfortunately the hostile external environment and internal dynamics have combined to undermine the work of the Committees. I would like to pay tribute to those members of the General Council who have persevered during these difficult times, and who have attended meetings and implemented programmes despite the threats and intimidation as well as the personal costs in terms of time and resources.

Organisational Trustees
CHRA is a Trust Organisation that must maintain a Board of Trustees to oversee governance in term of our Deed. The current Board has not functioned adequately and we have begun a process of renewal to identify trustees who can devote their time, energy and wisdom to fulfilling our obligations and acting as the 'conscience' of the Association.

The Secretariat
The Secretariat fulfils a vital role in implementing CHRA policies and activities. Despite severe operational difficulties, the Secretariat under the capable leadership of our CEO, Barnabas Mangodza has striven to carry out often arduous tasks demanded of them. They work under often dangerous and threatening conditions that expose them to the wrath of the regime. I have already acknowledged their forbearance with lengthy salary delays but they also have to endure disrupted working conditions and under-resourced programmes. Despite some problems, we have employed a great team and I wish them the best for their future with CHRA.

The creation of the Secretariat was a necessary step in the development of the Association. While the members of CHRA bring enthusiasm and activism to the mix, the Secretariat brings the professional capacity to mobilize funding and to implement policies and programmes However it is clear that a new and effective relationship must be forged. There has been a divide between the Secretariat and our membership that is unproductive. Some members feel 'excluded' by the Secretariat while for their part, the Secretariat feels 'harassed' by members. We have attempted various ways to address this conflict but these have not been successful. It is only through complementary and inclusive unity that we will move forward together.

The Association exists in a precarious environment and the efforts of the regime to undermine and destroy our work must not be under-estimated. We have to maintain a degree of confidentiality which has a cost in terms of transparency and accountability. Your new Management Committee will have to address this as a priority. Hopefully they will be able to do so and to allay any fears of inappropriate behavior.

Networking
CHRA has invested much time and energy in developing strong networks nationally, regionally and internationally. Such networks are essential in our lobbying and advocacy work. General Council must ensure our representation is pro-active and engaged if it wants these relationships to blossom. We must also work harder to develop a meaningful national body. It is our belief that ZURA is non-functioning for various reasons and must be replaced with a progressive and dynamic body that can advocate for residents interests at the national level and to give us a unified voice regionally.

These are only a few of the many challenges facing the incoming leadership. I wish you well and stand ready to assist as required. I will continue to participate in CHRA as the Chair of Ward 8 but I am sure you will forgive me for taking a short break over the next few months.

I thank you.

Mike Davies
Chair

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