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Get rich or die robbing the council
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)
April 02, 2010

Get rich or die robbing the council

It has been the irrevocable war cry of all residents that the Minister of Local Government, Urban and Development has too much power vested in him through the Urban Councils' Act. Apart from empowering him to meddle in Council policy and operations, he is also tasked with approving budgets for local authorities. It is not surprising that the absolute power vested on the Minister has enormously corrupted him as exemplified by the findings of the Harare City Council's Special Investigations committee. The findings diverted attention from the racecourse often associated with Borrowdale to the prime piece of land, nearly 20 hectares, that the Minister acquired by issuing verbal instructions on what council should or should not do. This was a blatant abuse of power and evident conflict of interests that made a mockery of the City Council's clear land allocation policy. The Minister allegedly "has dozens of houses, residential stands and commercial land holdings in most towns throughout the country." Instead of playing a supervisory and advisory role to the local authorities that govern residents, the Minister is busy using his portfolio to amass as much property as is possible. That is why BPRA reiterates its call for the inclusion of local governance in the new constitution of Zimbabwe so as to curb such avaricious and corrupt tendencies amongst public officials

Feedback on the inclusive government's operations called for

During the consultative feedback meetings held over the weekend by the association in Magwegwe and Entumbane, residents of Bulawayo have be-cried the snail pace the government was making in resolving the crisis in the country. Residents who spoke at the meetings in attendance of Councilors, Members of Parliament, Senators and Ministers said the constitution, the swearing in of governors and the infightings within the government has dealt a heavy blow on the otherwise belabored coalition government. The government of national unity, which is seemingly on its third and final phase, appears to be enveloped in legion tribulations, which if not taken seriously, may reverse the strides the government has been trying to make. The general outcry has been that coalition governments may not be the best arrangement within the African locale as there is too much contested sovereignty and political space. Residents have stated that a constitution which is people-driven and oriented must be the pre-requisite for a true and genuine election, which at the moment seems to be staling progress.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Thokozani Khuphe and the Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, Godern Moyo who had been called on to speak on the operations of the inclusive government said that seeds of engagement and deliberation need to be re-sown and a new society based on transparent values should re-emerge. The meetings were part of the customary meetings which the association, together with Bulawayo Agenda continues to facilitate in order to stimulate discussions and debate around critical topical issues affecting residents. Meanwhile, residents in Bulawayo have demanded that their concerns and rights should be upheld and cherished at all times. This comes after residents have noticed that elected ministers, members of parliament, senators and councilors do not report back to the communities that they represent, at will. In a different meeting for service providers and residents held in Pumula South, residents said that it is a tendency for elected leaders to come back to the community only when there is a crisis and when they are seeking audience. In most cases councilors hold meetings when they want to perform duties that are procedural like presenting a budget to a ward. Stakeholders should give feedback frequently because residents cannot depend on the polarized public media when there are councilors, senators and members of parliament that can report first hand information.

Education not for all

The government of Zimbabwe once encouraged everyone to attain descent education as it offered free primary education. As time went on, school fees and levies increased but were still rather affordable to many. However currently there has been a bizarre change in the education sector that has left the less privileged doomed. Parents with children attending government and council schools have been forced to pay teachers' incentives to compensate for the salaries that the government is failing to pay teachers.

The government should take into consideration that most of the parents whose children attend these schools have resorted to such schools as they charge affordable fees. By requiring parents to pay incentives ranging from $2 R60 a month for each child, the parents expect parents to have such money at hand every month when residents have other expenses. Due to the fact that no child is exempted from paying this money those who cannot afford to fork it out are forced to stay at home until they have the money.

Seeing that it is the government that has rubberstamped these initiatives, who then will stand up for these children and guard against discrimination in schools? Is the child whose parent or guardian fails to pay this money disobedient? Is the government punishing those that cannot afford to pay teacher's incentives? Government officials, members of parliament, councilors and other stakeholders are sitting and waiting and watching, as education becomes a reserve for the elite. The government is at fault for watching teachers take money directly from residents and pocket it. Because it is the government that has initiated the move, residents are not supposed to query but sit back and watch as this form of corruption spreads and rages havoc in our communities.

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