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Residents blast Mugabe intransigence
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
October 12, 2008

It is now close to a month since the historic signing of the September 15 inter-party Agreement and the residents in Harare are earnestly irked by Mugabe's obstinacy in the implementation of the pact, they learn with utmost disgust that Mugabe of 1987 is still the same Mugabe-amid the political and socio-economic malaise bedeviling the nation. The ZANU- PF octogenarian seemingly cannot give but can only take. The continued delay in the implementation of the political party pact has dealt a heavy blow on the residents' hopes, who regard the deal as a potential means to the solution of Zimbabwe's problems.

Zimbabweans are currently one of the world's poorest people; the majority earns far below the Zimbabwe's poverty datum line, and fails to put together a decent meal per day. The majority has turned into beggars and gatherers; they live with the grace of God and nothing else. The helplessness that permeates the Zimbabwean nation has, for more than a decade been calling for an urgent political intervention of the Agreement's nature. The residents understand the role of the Transitional government as simply being that of clearing the path to economic recovery, restoring the rule of law and setting the stage for an electoral democracy among other things. The continued dilly-dallying by Mugabe and his party spells more woes for them and that does not go down well with them.

Mugabe displayed sheer bad faith when he (among other things) unscrupulously appointed the male dominated group of 10 governors from his party ZANU PF before an agreement was reached, thus unfairly getting a majority in the Senate, is seemingly consistent; In the same vein Mugabe has dishonorably gazzetted a wishful list of ministerial allocations in which he exhibits pure selfishness and arrogance. The octogenarian allegedly listed, under ZANU PF, the ministries of; Local Government and Urban Development, Home Affairs, Defence and other key ministries. This act endangers the fragile deal and should be unequivocally rejected and dismissed.

The list is a clear sign of denial and a wishful something to appease his beleaguered party with and to continue with his patronage and tokenism on the former PF ZAPU cadres, in preserving the so called unity which has been far too out of touch with its terms and the masses. The mere mention of the Local Government and Urban Development ministry and the acronym "ZANU PF" successively, sends untold shivers down the residents' spines. It reminds them of Operation Murambatsvina, ZINWA water and sewer management takeover, Cholera outbreaks, potholes, mayoral expulsions and councils` dissolution, Commissions, burst sewage and other horrible daily experiences.

The residents would like to explicitly remind Mugabe and his protégés that; the Agreement does not seek to accommodate the MDC formations but to establish a respectful footing for inter party power sharing. It is not meant to legitimize the economic plunder, electoral thuggery, impunity, failed policies, repression, human rights abuses and other unconstitutional and criminal ZANU PF and government activities. The genuine aim of the agreement is to provide means to the realisation of a true democracy and give Zimbabweans a break from the man-made crisis. The Association also reminds them that leadership and their (Mugabe and ZANU PF) aloofness and intransigence are just way too incompatible and that the people retain the power to deploy and recall leaders. They ought to exercise maximum restraint, stop paying lip-service to selflessness and put the nation before their interests.

CHRA remains committed to enhancing civic participation in governance and demanding adequate and affordable municipal (and other) service delivery in a transparent, professional and non-partisan manner.

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