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Demolition of houses in Chitungwiza
Chitungwiza
Residents Trust (CHITREST)
November 13, 2013
The statement
by Local Government, Public Works and National Housing deputy minister
Hon. Joel Biggie Matiza that “there is no going back on demolition
of illegal structures” is pre-mature and ill-advised since
the commission investigating Chitungwiza and Seke Rural has not
yet completed its work. Chitungwiza Residents’ Trust (CHITREST)
can confirm that the investigation commission has requested for
an extension of its stay from the responsible minister, Hon. Ignatius
Chombo who has since granted the extension.
A full council meeting
was held today by the city fathers of Chitungwiza where the town
clerk, Mr. George Makunde announced the ministerial directive to
extend the duration of the commission’s work by 14 days. This
was just a briefing to the councillors since they are not allowed
to debate any ministerial directive.
We are concerned by the
inconsistencies being shown by some Ministers in this new government.
Hon. Matiza’s statements are not in tandem with those of Hon.
Minister Chikukwa and Hon. Deputy Minister Tendai Savanhu who are
on record as having said that no house will be demolished by government.
The position the government that the so-called illegal structures
will be demolished and then new houses built for the victims is
tantamount to promising building bridges were there are no rivers
since this is coming from a government which has no budget for 2014
and is also failing to adequately remunerate its civil servants,
let alone pay them their annual bonuses.
The huge burden of financing
the activities and allowances of this bloated commission is being
borne by the ratepayers through their hard-earned and scarce US
dollars. Each of the 16 commissioners is getting around US$900 per
day, meaning that council is losing close to US$15 000 per day towards
this exercise yet it is sitting on a salary backlog of close to
a year.
We therefore demand that
the government revises its priorities and focus on key developmental
issues which include areas such as health, education, resuscitation
of industry and infrastructural development rather than majoring
on minor political issues.
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