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Open petition to the Mayor of Harare: Councilor Muchadei Masunda
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
October 12, 2012

Noting, with grave concern the continued victimization of the poor urban citizenry by your local authority through attaching property without mutual consent over outstanding debts,

Concerned, by your conspicuous silence with regards to this matter and others as well that concern residents of Harare (e.g. not declaring the water issue a City disaster),

Acknowledging, that each year around October, your local authority attaches people's property, is a reason that quenches our speculation that you are only concerned about your worker's bonus which is their contractual right which however is being met using uncouth means,

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) acting on behalf of residents in Harare, would like to express our uttermost frustration which has been inspired by the latest reports in Mabvuku and Tafara at most, were residents who owe the City are being robbed of their hard earned property. This to say the least is tantamount to daylight robbery by a city council which is failing to provide rudimentary services for its residents with water being the scarcest commodity in town.

So far we have received 47 reports of people who have been approached by the City debt collectors who are armed with court orders claiming that this directive was issued from the court with your blessing. Our question to you your worship is "who elected a council to attach people's property?" Our confidence in your leadership has been premised on merit coupled with your promises which were bent on consistent respect of the rights of the people and commitment to comply with all the salient tenets of good governance. Today Harare is now witnessing a total contrast of what we had hoped to see from your council. We appreciate that there is no compliance to full council resolutions from the city technocrats; hence we call upon you to rain on these people with whom we are reliably informed are coming from the City treasury department.

Your Worship, the urban debt index as of august the 30th stood at 60%. The inter-parastatal debt as of July this year was pegged at 480 million. All these statistics are reflective of an overall liquidity crisis which the country is facing. Needless to say, your local authority is failing to provide Harare with water sending shockwaves to most wards who are in fear of a repeat of the 2008 scenario which saw the deaths of 4 037 people and 91 164 cases being reported. As at 26 February 2012 a total of 3 538 Typhoid cases had been reported in the City of Harare. In light of the former, residents have not attached anything or press any legal suite demanding reparations from the local authority. It is in this spirit that we are now gravely concerned by your continued silence at a time when city technocrats are acting against the major stakeholders of council; in this case we refer to the residents.

Our humble plea to you your warship is that the same spirit and vigor that saw all councilors who are in council get elected, is the same energy that should be committed to social service delivery. You must rein in all errant technocrats who are engaging in unsanctioned business from full council. If you continue to take people's property, CHRA is committed to mobilizing people to also stop paying their rates and levies for it is the same money that you are now using to raid their homes. Harare City council SHOULD STOP with immediate effect attaching people's property. CHRA will continue to monitor the situation and your public response to this matter is most welcome.

Visit the CHRA fact sheet

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