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CHRA last week
Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA)
July 23, 2013

The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) held a number of programs during the week ending July 21. The activities ranged from road shows, sports tournament and community meetings. The main objective of these activities was to mobilise residents of Harare to come out in their numbers and vote a candidate of their choice in the forth-coming election, due on July the 31st.

Community meetings

Two community meetings running under “meet the candidate series” were convened in Highfield and Glen Norah respectively. The meetings attracted aspiring MPs and councillors from Zanu-PF, MDC-T, MDC and MKD. There were no representatives from ZDP and Zapu. A total of 7 aspiring councillors and 5 MPs made it to the platform. All of the representatives sang from their respective party manifestos and there were lively debates around the following issues:

• Service delivery
• Public space (construction on wetlands and protection of private land)
• Youth empowerment and employment creation
• Violence and avenues for sustainable peace building
• Economic recovery and local economic development

At these platforms, CHRA has been able to make use of this of this platform to allow members of the community who failed to check their names on the voters roll during the 30 day voter registration process which left out many residents unregistered.

Sports tournament

A sports tournament was convened together with the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition under the Feya Feya platform. The tournament drew people from all over Harare and different civic organisations.

The sports tournament which was conducted at the University of Zimbabwe included soccer, netball and basketball. A pool tournament was also convened in Southerton at the Red32 which saw four pool teams battling it out in honour of a free and fair election. Residents got a copy of our meet your Presidential candidate (R.T.I.) newsletters whose electronic copy can be downloaded here. The newsletter was complied in partnership with the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ). Here, we also managed to cross check names of all those that were registered but had failed to check their names on the voters roll.

Road shows

We convened two roads show, one in Kuwadzana and the other one in Glen View. At both events residents were addressed by the CHRA local leadership and the Chairperson of the Association. In Kuwadzana, we recorded a crowd of about 120-150 residents.

In Glenview we had close to 600 people in attendance. Our local voter mobilisation clubs have been very instrumental in mobilising residents to be part of these historic events ahead of crucial elections. The main issues raised at these road shows were mainly to do with practicing one’s democratic right to vote and also encouraging residents to do so in peace. The Feya Feya campaign was also part of the vehicle used to package voter information especially the need to have an election which is premised on a free and fair platform on the part of all stakeholders ranging from the voter to the candidate. It is also at these road shows, where we have been able to come up with our new slogan, “Not just an election, but a just, free and fair election”.

We have also composed a jingle targeting Harare residents that encourages them to go out and vote.

We remain committed to a free and fair election where all residents are able to express themselves freely together with the provision of a free and fair playing field.

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