This dispute has also roped in the Mayor of Harare Muchadeyi Masunda who insists he will not take instructions from the Deputy Minister because his role is not defined and specified in the legislation governing the running of local authorities, the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15).
The Harare Residents Trust (HRT) finds the sudden interest in the administration of local authorities by the Deputy Minister suspicious as he has tended to ignore residents pleas for democratic, transparent and accountable governance at Town House.
Our position as the HRT is that the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15) is archaic and needs to be overhauled in order to promote the participation of citizens in the administration and running of local authorities. Without reforming this piece of legislation, the Deputy Minister will continue to shoot in the dark, without a guideline on what role he plays in that Ministry. His role is symbolic and of no meaning to the resident as he is not even recognized in the principal act governing local urban authorities.
The Act gives exclusive executive powers to the Minister to give directives and instructions to the local authorities, without any provision for the local authorities to seek legal or political recourse where he has issued illegal and unjustified directives. In this ensuing conflict, the Deputy Minister lacks legislative backup to support his attempts to re-appoint the dismissed councillors.
By dismissing the councillors, whether justified or not, Minister Chombo is using the Urban Councils Act, which empowers him to do so. This scenario brings to the fore what the HRT and other progressive local government organisations have been advocating for- reform of the Urban Councils Act because it is a bad law in a democratic society.
Politically, due to the nations polarization, Minister Chombos actions are viewed as politically malicious and vindictive, but in terms of the Urban Councils Act, he is within his powers. The Mayor of Harare is justified in refusing to allow the dismissed councillors the right to attend council meetings.
What is unclear is why the Deputy Minister seems to have taken a strong position on the Bindura councillors and two Harare councillors yet there are nearly 20 councillors from the MDC-T who have been dismissed by the same Minister. Deputy Minister Zvidzais motive has to be examined before a clear position is made.
The HRT insists that the Urban Councils Act should be reformed to prioritise citizens participation and regulate the powers of the Minister. The Deputy Minister should stop politicizing civic matters that have everything to do with the legislation than to do with the Global Political Agreement (GPA) that we expect him to know better. In the Service of Residents- HRT- for a free AND Prosperous Citizenry!
For details please contact us on 0772 869 294/ 0773 249 039 or email us on info@hrt.org.zw/ hretrust@yahoo.com
Post published in: News