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Residents public meeting report - Mbare
Harare Residents Trust (HRT)
September 19, 2009

Report of the Mbare Residents Trust (MRT) meeting held on 19th of September 2009 at Stodart Hall from 10am to 12noon.

Agenda:
- Update on the operations of the MRT
- Discuss problems of high rentals faced by residents
- Feedback from the councillors
- Plenary
- AOB

1. Introductory remarks

The Chairperson of the Mbare Residents' Trust (MRT) Ms Eunice Wakatama introduced the leadership of the organisation and all invited guests. She said the MRT aims to represent all residents of Mbare to have access to quality services from service providers and elected representatives. As one of the oldest suburbs Mbare faced serious challenges of overcrowding, uncollected refuse lying everywhere across the suburb, high crime rate, dilapidation of community infrastructure, high rentals and lack of title deeds for most residents.

The meeting was attended councillor Friday Muleya and Mr Chingadeya, representing the vacant Ward 11. There was solidarity attendance by Eddington Mugova and Juliet Masiyembiri from Highfield and Glen Norah Residents Trusts respectively, Precious Shumba, the Harare Residents' Trust (HRT) Coordinator and Bright Chibvuri, the Publicity and Information Officer.

2. Presentation by the Coordinator

The Coordinator chronicled the challenges facing Harare residents in terms of service delivery. He said it was surprising to note that not enough was being done to improve the welfare of residents especially on issues that affect them like refuse collection, affordable rentals and access to information on acquisition of title deeds, and the maintenance of community infrastructure.

He said it was unjustified for residents to be forced to pay arrears on their rentals backdated to February 2009 because the city council's budget was only approved in March 2009. Residents should not be punished for Town House shortcomings, he said.

He urged elected representatives to constantly hold feed back meetings with residents who elected them into office. The city fathers should constantly be reminded that residents are their pay masters and they deserve better services without compromise. Residents have the right to devise ways of protests to service providers like the City of Harare; such as delaying payment of rentals and engaging in passive resistance activities.

3. Feedback from Councillor Muleya

Mr Muleya appreciated the invitation extended to him by the MRT. He chronicled the problems they are facing as councillors at Town House which include failure by the municipal staff to implement council resolutions at the instigation of the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Ignatius Chombo.

Cllr Muleya said there is serious infighting at Town House because there were some projects which were clandestinely approved between March and June 2008 when the council was not yet in office. These projects include the controversial Airport Road expansion project and the Warren Hills Housing Project. Most officials who want these projects to go ahead have entrenched financial interests in these projects.

High Rentals: The councillor advised residents to pay at least $20 monthly as was agreed by the councillors. He said the council's billing system was down and there is confusion over the receipting of payments. He urged residents to pay and keep the receipts which could be collated when the operational system becomes functional.
Hostels: He said no hostels were going to be demolished as reported in the State media. In fact, councillors have proposed that renovations be undertaken to improve the conditions of these dilapidated structures which now pose a serious health risk for the occupants.

Refuse Collection: Councillor Muleya said council lacks the trucks to remove refuse in Harare. The council had only one truck when they came into office last year but this vehicle has already been grounded because of lack of spare parts. He urged residents to work closely with their elected representatives to confront issues at Town House which have become 'heavily politicised' for the council to operate professionally. He revealed how nepotism and favouritism by employees linked to Minister Chombo has affected the council's administration.

4. Issues raised by residents

Residents were given an opportunity to raise their issues for discussions. Topical issues included unjustifiably high rentals, the 51 percent interest charged on late payments, lack of information on how to obtain title deeds, senior citizens remaining on rented accommodation and absence of refuse collection yet residents continue to be charged for this service.

The residents, numbering about 300, demanded that the council should urgently address the issue of title deeds so that senior citizens who have occupied house for more than 50 years and others who want to own their house should be assisted to process their papers by council officials. There is need for council to consider senior citizens to pay reduced rates on services rendered.

There is growing concern by residents that the council is reluctant to educate residents on how to obtain title deeds because this will reduce council's revenue base because residents will only pay for rates only.

5. Recommendations:

a) High Rentals

- It was agreed that residents should pay at least $20 every month at their district offices.
- No council official should refuse to accept any payment by residents.
- Interest on rentals should be reduced to between 5 and 10 percent since payment is now in hard currency.

b) Title deeds

- The council should carry out civic education on how to acquire title deeds.
- This information should be made readily available at all District Offices and the HRT should play an active role to educate residents on this issue.

c) Demolition of hostels

- The hostels must not be demolished but repairs should be undertaken to improve their outward appearance and ensure that toilets and the lightning system are functional
- The council does not have the resources to demolish the hostels and if this programme has to be undertaken the council should first provide alternative accommodation to the affected families.

d) Failure by HCC to implement council resolutions

- Residents should exercise their power to cooperate with their elected representatives by backing council resolutions which are constantly being blocked or overturned by Minister Chombo before they are implemented.
- The HRT shall name and shame council officials who stand in the way of the city's development agenda.

6) Address by Mugova and Mrs Masiyembiri

Mr Mugova highlighted the achievements and activities that the Highfield Resident Trust has undertaken to advance the residents' agenda. Some of the activities include clean up campaigns and the engagement of the local leadership for funding partnerships. The trust is working closely with other stakeholders such as the police and district officers in the suburb. They have established sub-committees to look at specific issues like health, education, finance and information.

Mrs Masiyembiri commended residents of Mbare for organising themselves and urged them to continue working together to ensure that their movement becomes the beacon of community advocacy. She said in Glen Norah, they have built a very strong residents' movement that has managed to hold monthly meetings where residents have the opportunity to share their experiences and make their own recommendations.

7) AOB

The Coordinator gave the residents a summary background of the establishment of the Mbare Residents' Trust saying he hand-picked some individuals at the beginning to facilitate the holding of elections for a substantive residents' structure in Mbare. This interim executive dismally failed to discharge the HRT mandate, and in terms of HRT policies, an interim executive can only exist for a period not exceeding three months but this one had existed for more than six months but still failed to organise residents into a people's movement. However, other residents organised themselves and invited the interim executive for purposes of organising elections. Ms Eunice Wakatama was subsequently elected as substantive Chairperson for Mbare.

Public Meetings: It was agreed that in future residents needed to be informed of such important meetings on time to ensure that more people attend. It was clarified that there was a delay to secure the venue which also affected the notification of residents. The next meeting is targeting 1 000 people.

The meeting ended with a prayer by Ms Wakatama. The next meeting will be held on the 24th of October 2009 at a venue to be advised.

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