Instead of resorting to violence and this thuggish behaviour the Welfare Trust officials or activists could focus on what they really want to achieve. The HRT is not an enemy but merely offering free advice to an irresponsible outfit, drunk with confusion on how to become relevant under these economic and socio-political conditions. The HRT is focused on service delivery advocacy and policy reforms to strengthen citizen participation in community development.
Since Saturday 17 March 2012, a man who identified himself as Moffat Swizani, known to residents in Geneva suburb in Highfield as the Secretary for Transport in Zanu PF’s District Coordinating Committee 2, has been using an Econet mobile number 0773 864 480 to issue violent threats on HRT officials Precious Shumba (HRT Founder and Director), Simbarashe Majamanda (Membership), Tariro Manhendere (Advocacy and Communications), Sylvia Bhasikolo (Mabvuku Treasurer) and community volunteers saying they will unleash violence similar to the violence witnessed in Zimbabwe during the ‘June 27’ election run-off, whatever he meant.
This Moffat, who claimed that he was the director of the Welfare Trust, said there was no one who could stop them, even the police. The HRT believes that the Zimbabwe Republic Police knows they have a Constitutional mandate to protect all citizens and will not sink so low to protect criminal behaviour.
While there is nothing wrong about anyone being a Zanu PF member, it is criminal for a person or a group of people to hide behind Zanu PF, tarnishing its image and reputation by persecuting innocent citizens.
Asked why he was behaving like a village bully, Moffat claimed that “the HRT is undermining the Welfare trust by telling people that it was a bogus organization.’ The HRT maintains that this organization is bogus and should be held accountable for the thousands of dollars that they misled poor residents to part with.
The Welfare Trust accuses the HRT of influencing communities to resist the temptation to pay US$1 for membership and US$20 to clear one’s debts, irrespective of amounts owed to the City of Harare. This organization has no mandate; neither does it have the authority to spread false information to the residents on cancellation of debts.
Only the City of Harare, through a council resolution, can cancel residents’ debts.
The HRT stands for justice in the interest of residents in Harare Metropolitan Province. One major reason that this fly-by-night organization has panicked and resorted to stone-age tactics of violence and intimidation of those who hold different views to theirs is because they have no agenda to advance community development. Their objective was simply to dupe residents and disappear into thin air. If it is not money they were after, let us see them in the communities discussing service delivery and make meaningful contributions towards attaining real development in communities.
The HRT urges the police to put a stop to this madness where political thugs come onto the development scene to instill fear in legitimate organizations pursuing development objectives. Failure to intervene in this matter leaves citizens with no option but to ask those within communities to stand up to this bullying by insignificant individuals who have even lost relevance in their respective political parties.
As a residents’ organization, the HRT serves communities through a participatory development approach framework where citizens at community level determine what kind of intervention they expect or require from development partners.
To the Welfare Trust, our message as the HRT is that you must be careful how you behave because very soon you will be facing residents in their numbers demanding their money back. In fact, residents are urged to demand their money back because their debts will not just go away. Whenever they move into their neighbourhood, residents are urged to shun their meetings and stop this nonsense of opening ears and eyes only after being conned.
The City Treasury, the City Councillors have been releasing information discouraging residents from being misled by this outfit.
To this end the HRT will be exposing one by one of this outfit until residents are clear on who they really are.
Who is the Welfare Trust? Is it another Chipangano outfit?
Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
Post published in: News