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BPRA blocks Chombo again
Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA)
January 22, 2013

Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA), through its Secretary for People Living with Disabilities in Ward 13, yesterday successfully blocked Minister Ignatius Chombo's bid to appoint Mr Fidelis Fengu as a special interest councilor in Bulawayo. Mr Jack Matshazi, under the aegis of BPRA, successfully filed an urgent chamber application seeking an order to block Bulawayo City Council (BCC) from swearing-in Mr Fengu into office. He argued that the Minister of Local Government, Urban and Rural Development, Dr Ignatius Chombo acted irrationally in appointing Mr Fengu as a special interest councilor in terms of the Urban Council's Act (Chapter 29:15) in a letter dated 22 November 2012.

BPRA has previously expressed concerns that the Urban Council's Act (Chapter 29:15) invests too much power in the Minister of Local Government, allowing him too much leeway to undemocratically dictate the conduct of local authorities without consulting residents. It is BPRA's contention that special interest councilors should not be imposed by a Minister, but should be selected by the residents in a democratic manner. As such BPRA rejects the appointment of Mr Fengu as a special interest councilor as he was imposed by Minister Chombo, who is not impartial in the country's political contestations, without consultation of residents.

Visit the Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association fact sheet

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