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Stakeholders discuss performance of elected representatives - Mabvuku
Harare Residents Trust (HRT)
March 24, 2010

Summary Report:

Time: 10am to 1240hrs, Venue: Area D' - Mabvuku

Agenda: Discuss the performance of elected representatives, rates and services, feedback from previous meeting, senior citizens, plenary, AOB

1. In Attendance:

a. Mabvuku Residents' Trust (MRT) Executive
b. Harare Residents' Trust (HRT) Coordinator- Mr Precious Shumba
c. HRT Intern- Ms Pretty Chabuda
d. Secretary- Mr Misha Misha- Residents' Council (As Director of Ceremonies)
e. Mr Onismus Mushonga- Board Member- Tafara Residents' Trust

2. Opening Remarks:

The Chairman, Mr Andrew Mutambu introduced his executive and gave a brief feedback on the previous meeting held at the same venue on 3 February. He said a representative from the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority and an official responsible for water provision had been invited to be part of the meeting but had conveyed their apologies. Another meeting would be re-scheduled where the ZESA official would attend and respond to residents' concerns. To become a member of the residents' movement, citizens in Mabvuku were urged to pay their US$1 to facilitate the smooth running of the organisation.

3. Apologies:

• ZESA
• Judith Nehumba, the Vice Secretary of the MRT
• City Councillors.

4. Objective Of The Report:

• To highlight the key issues that affect Mabvuku residents.
• To reflect on residents expectations from their leadership.
• To provide an interactive platform between service providers, civil society, policy makers- councillors, the Legislature and the Executive.

5. The Coordinator: Accountability of Elected officials:

• The residents' movement is non-partisan, transparent and promotes engagement of stakeholders, through the defence of residents' rights.
• Councillors are public officials and should always act in the best interests of the ratepayer, failure of which they would be engaged and urged to propagate pro-people policies.
• The residents' body should represent marginalised residents like the elderly, orphans and the widowed.
• The Harare Residents Trust (HRT) met the Mayor of Harare Mr Muchadeyi Masunda on Monday 15 March to discuss allegations of corruption against City employees and councillors, the water situation, refuse collection and other service delivery issues. The meeting was a complete failure as the Mayor had no time to listen to residents' concerns. This is viewed as a temporary setback. The HRT will continue to engage with the Mayor and his heads of departments.

6. The Secretary of Residents' Council: Mr Misha Misha (MC)

a. He outlined the procedures that had been laid out by the City of Harare for the elderly to benefit under the pensioners' rates' cut facility. Under this facility, citizens above 65 years of age are supposed to pay 50 percent of their monthly rates owing to the City of Harare. But they have to first meet the set requirements and pay a US$2 administration fee. They were told by their District Officer that 100 forms were available to benefit residents.

7. Mrs Callister Mandeya Kaseke- District Social Services Officer- Mabvuku

a. She emphasised the need for senior citizens to complete the application forms in duplicates and pay US$2 dollars, before their applications could be approved, within the shortest possible time. However they faced challenges in that most applicants left out vital information like certified copies of their national identity cards and forgot or neglected to attach their utility bills, in their names.

b. She said under-privileged residents can come through her office so that she can assist them to get the US$20 every month which is being given to the marginalised citizens as social assistance. This group of marginalised citizens includes the terminally ill, who are first vetted before they are given reference letters to the Department of Social Welfare at Makombe Building where they are issued with letters that make it possible for them to get free treatment at government-run hospitals. Mabvuku has faced a serious problem after the social welfare offices moved to Makombe Building, depriving hundreds of deserving cases.

8. Plenary: Direct From Residents':

a. 'We should pay something for something and nothing for nothing. Let us not pay for what we have not consumed, and for services not rendered."

b. Typhoid and Cholera: "Tapera! I personally lay the blame on Councillors and city workers for not doing their duty. Diseases are a result of heaped garbage and lack clean safe water.

c. "Even if you pay, the bills are not changing. Instead they keep growing."

d. Councillors, will you please explain to us why we have wide and deep potholes, basa renyu rave rei? What is your job now?"

e. "The bills cannot be paid in full. We want the council to pardon all rates defaulters and start afresh. We want to pay but the bills are now huge, beyond our reach."

f. "Huharahwa hunotangira papi? When does old age start? Life expectancy has declined in Zimbabwe. The age should be lowered to 60 instead of the current 65 years, in order to be exempted from paying the full amount in rates."

g. Maternity fees are too high.

h. Policemen are allegedly receiving bribes from Epworth people digging and selling sand in Mabvuku area. This has caused untold land degradation and threatens the environment.

i. "The Posts and Telecommunications (PTC) are thieves. They are demanding that we pay US$50 to them if we want to remain with our landlines. How can we pay for things that ceased to function a long time ago? This directive was from Post Office department of phones."

j. "The City of Harare should explain to residents what it means when it refers to an illegal activity at a household. Residents in Mabvuku have been asked to pay around US$300 for putting posters indicating what they sell at their gates. Most residents sell tomatoes, and eggs, peanut butter (dovi) and advertise this by putting up posters in front of their gates."

• The HRT requests the council to make known the city-by-laws and regulations; they are using to enforce this in terms of the Urban Council's Act.

k. Lodgers are being overcharged by their landlords and landladies.

l. "What wrong have we committed in Mabvuku and Tafara? Every bad things starts from this end- cholera, Murambatsvina, and now typhoid? Our situation has provided the media and humanitarian organisations to make money out of our suffering. There is always so much noise about our crisis but very little is done to address our problems?" The resident criticised the elected representatives in their area for their failure to take corrective action, particularly improving water supplies and refuse collection.

m. "Why is it that people have to walk long distances to and from Portland in Mabvuku? There is no transport to take people to their homes. Instead, kombis drop people at Hunters, a long walking distance. We have elected people who must represent us, we need public transport."

Way forward:

• The residents' leadership shall engage the City of Harare and all relevant stakeholders.
• The council should dig trenches or create dumping sites for refuse disposal
• The MRT shall document service delivery issues and have discussions with the District Officer and councillors in the area, and other service providers.
• A meeting focussing on the supply of electricity shall be held as a matter of urgency, with ZESA officials present to respond to residents' concerns.
• Residents shall refuse to pay for un-provided services.
• If service delivery issues raised by residents to policy makers and council officials are not attended to, residents reserve the right to delay payment by at most two weeks. This is meant to force the City authorities to respond timeously to residents' demands.

For details and comments please contact the Harare Residents' Trust (HRT) on +263 912 869 294, +263 733 296 806 or email us on hretrust@yahoo.com/ hretrust79@gmail.com

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