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Chipangano mutates into Mbare Residents Association
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
November 09, 2012

With pressure mounting on the infamous Chipangano youth militia group both from within ZANU PF and civil society, the group has resurfaced under the daft guise of Mbare Residents Association. Jim Kunaka who has now become a political mutant, acting as a civic activist during the day and politician by night has been confirmed as the chairman of Mbare residents association. Ironically, residents have dissociated themselves from this bogus residents association adding that it was just another Chipangano in the making save for the for the name only. Instead of representing residents in Mbare, the association has gone unbridled, extorting cash from traders, vendors and further occupying council owned premises. Mbare residents association has started distributing market stalls to undeserving people who have clear links with ZANU PF. Jim Kunaka has on many occasions defended this position basing on the local economic and empowerment drive. However, CHRA can reveal that there has been a massive lapse in local economic development due to the unscrupulous politicization of local business coupled with the fact that Harare city council is collecting less than half of the revenue that it's supposed to be collecting.

We have on many times reported that Harare City Council lost Carter House, an overnight accommodation facility for travelers to Chipangano which has now turned to Mbare residents association. Carter house is being used as a ZANU PF office and a ZANU PF flag has already been put at this premise which is an authentic gesture that this place indeed now belongs to ZANU PF. CHRA can exclusively reveal that Chipangano met at Paget house and made a unanimous decision to return Carter House only after elections. Carter house is the official address that is used by Jim Kunaka.As if that is not enough, Jim Kunaka claims that now he is the rightful owner of number 5 special house. Recent reports by state media indicate that Harare City council has failed to deliver rudimentary services in Mbare which is however by and large a mischievous statement bent on further tarnishing the image of the local authority. Without wanting to protect the compromised image of council, there is need for people to understand that Harare city council is not collecting rates and levies from most of the flats and market stalls. Each time council officials try to come and attend to an issue in Mbare, more often than less, they are chased away by these militants who are always vilifying Harare City councilors. Clement Chimombe Councilor for ward 11 Mbare is on record for having resisted a tour of Mbare headed by the mayor adding that "lives could be lost". This is a stark outlay of how bad things can be in Mbare according to the Councilor.

CHRA reiterates its call for the demilitarization of Mbare. There is nothing wrong with people forming more residents associations for this opens more space for the democratization of local government in the Country, however it defies the principles of civics for political players to nicodimously operate as residents associations under the banner of darkness in a bid to safe-guard their illegal activities. We urge residents of Mbare not to fall prey to this bogus organization which is bent on self driven economic gains without putting the genuine concerns and issues of Mbare residents first.

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