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This article participates on the following special index pages:
New Constitution-making process - Index of articles
Public
advocacy for democratization & constitutionalisation of local
governance programme
Combined Harare
Residents Association (CHRA)
June 09, 2009
The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
in partnership with the National Residents Association Consultative
Forum (NRACF) is rolling out a programme aimed at enabling the residents
across the country to advocate for the democratization and constitutionalisation
of Zimbabwe's local governance framework. At the General Council
meeting held on Saturday the 6th of June 2009; the leadership of
the movement unanimously agreed that CHRA shall participate actively
in the constitution making process; and ensure that its input on
local governance and other constitutional issues is taken aboard.
To that effect public meetings have been lined up in the different
wards of Harare; where the Association's leadership and the
Secretariat will be conducting civic education on the nature of
the constitution making process, how the residents can participate
and what (from a local governance and municipal service provision
perspective) they are expected to contribute. These meetings will
be organized by the CHRA ward leadership assisted by the councilors.
CHRA has well functioning structures established in each of the
46 administrative wards of Harare.
CHRA
has also identified key reforms that the residents will be pushing
for adoption in the new constitution. Similar public meetings are
being conducted in other Towns, Cities and Districts; notably in
Masvingo, Chitungwiza and Goromonzi; as part of the same programme.
These activities are being conducted through the partnerships that
CHRA has established with fellow Residents Associations within the
National Residents Associations Consultative Forum. In 2008 CHRA
convened two conferences of Residents Associations in Zimbabwe;
and the conferences constituted the National Residents Associations
Consultative Forum; whose mandate is to coordinate the efforts of
the Associations in lobbying for democratization of the local governance
framework. The Secretariat of the Combined Harare Residents Association
(CHRA) is, in the mean time, servicing the programmes of the National
Residents Associations Consultative Forum.
CHRA has also
begun the process of engaging with the Prime Minister's Office;
making known to the Premier the concerns of the National Residents
Associations Consultative Forum with respect to the need to reform
the local governance framework. To begin with, the country's
local governance framework is provided for by statutory law and
is non existent in the current constitution. This means that the
whole framework is vulnerable to partisan political manipulation
as statutes can be amended by a simple Parliamentary majority provided
the President assents to the bill. A good example is the 2008 Local
Government Laws Amendment Act which stripped the Mayors of Executive
powers to give the Minister of Local Government (Dr. Ignatius Chombo)
more powers and allow him more room to control and direct the operations
of the Local Authorities. As such, there has been a lot of political
manipulation and interference with the business of Local Authorities
by the central government; thereby frustrating development initiatives
by the councilors.
The city of
Harare is the worst affected by Minister Chombo's interference
as evidenced by his decision to fire the entire Engineer Elias Mudzuri
led council in 2005 and replace it with the corrupt ridden and ineffective
Sekesai Makwavarara and later on Mahachi Commissions. As a result
of the mismanagement, extravagance and corruption by these Commissions,
Harare has suffered an almost permanent collapse of municipal service
delivery manifesting itself in the chronic water shortages, the
cholera crisis, and collapse of the sewer reticulation system. Until
now the City is battling with the maladies caused by the administration
of these Commissions. A survey conducted by CHRA reveals that no
maintenance work on the sewer reticulation system for the entire
city has been conducted for the past 20 years; and the damage that
has been done on the water production and supply system requires
several millions of US Dollars to resuscitate. For decades, the
city of Harare has been turned into and functioning as "a
cash cow for a certain political party and certain key individuals
in that particular political party" hence the desire for political
manipulation and interference. Such are the effects of our local
governance system which;
- Leaves room
for political manipulation by the central government.
- Does not
allow participation of residents and the general public in the
council decision making process
- Lacks transparency
and accountability.
CHRA and the
National Residents Associations Consultative Forum assert that the
solution to the current municipal service delivery maladies is found
in democratization and constitutionalisation of the country's
local governance framework. Residents are therefore encouraged to
participate in these public meetings and be empowered. The following
bullets summarize the key issues to be addressed in reforming Zimbabwe's
local governance framework;
The
enshrining of local government in the national Constitution
Provision of
a clear citizen participation framework in local governance. This
is critical as the current legislation on local governance, (e.g.
Urban
Councils Act Chapter 15:29, the Rural District Councils Act
Chapter 29:13, Local
Government Laws Amendment of 2007) does not provide for adequate
residents' participation in local government decision-making
processes.
Powers
of Recall
- Clear framework
of decentralization and devolution of powers (responsibilities
and finances).
- Harmonization
and updating of local government legislation. We note role confusion/mandate
and conflict between the political appointees and elected officials
in local authority administration and overall governance.
The
role of traditional leaders
- The relationship
between central and local government and the ministerial powers.
- Local authority
accountability framework.
- Municipal
Budget making process
Independent
Arbitrator
Setting of priorities
- Updating
of municipal by-laws
- Human resources,
assets and financial audits especially in local authorities that
were under illegitimate Ministerial Commissions.
- Provision
of service (e.g., water, health, roads and transport, vending
markets and education). Affordability is critical given the dire
economic condition of the citizens.
Besides the
public meetings, CHRA will also conduct a meeting with members of
the select committee on Constitution making, members of the Parliamentary
Portfolio Committee on Local Governance. The movement will also
conduct a media conference with journalists on the need to amplify
the residents' voice for the reform of the framework, while
councilors across the country will be approached for support in
this initiative. Meanwhile the entire council for the City of Harare
has thrown its mighty weight behind the Residents' initiative
to lobby for the democratization of local governance in Zimbabwe.
As such the activities in Harare and other towns and districts (Public
meetings included) will be organized with the assistance of the
councilors. CHRA remains resolute in pursuit of its mission to lobby
for the democratization of local governance and the provision of
quality and affordable municipal services.
Visit the CHRA
fact
sheet
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