Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has blasted the MDC T for recalling Harare councillors which will affect service delivery.
The residents lobby group described the move as “a threat to representative democracy.”
“We condemn the rampant recall of elected councillors. We are further worried that these recalls are part of the battle of political control and internal contradictions within the MDC divorced from plans to further development, improve welfare of citizens and service delivery,” reads the statement from CHRA.
Combined Harare Residents Association also said it is worried that the recalls have been used as a political tool by a faction of the MDC-T led by Thokozani Khupe.
“We are gravely concerned that the recalls have become a tool and strategy employed to decimate and overthrow political opponents within the factional fights, which further entrenches political polarization and independence of thought. The recalls are a clear display of insatiable hunger for power at the expense of citizens’ will and interests.
“The rampant recall of elected councillors is a direct attack on representative democracy and seeks to throw away residents to the periphery of local governance which has serious implications on both service delivery and answerability of officials to the electorate.
“Political parties must not act supreme over the voter, residents are the number one stakeholder in every political process and should be treated with respect. This move which is a threat to local democracy feed into the machinations and grand plan to pave way for the appointment of Commissions to run the affairs of most urban local authorities in Zimbabwe.”
CHRA vowed to resist commission for Harare arguing that Zimbabwe has history of bad commissions.
“The history of Commissions in Zimbabwe is littered with gross abuse of office. As Residents Associations and CSOs our position is clear that local authorities cannot be run by Commissions BUT they can ONLY be managed by councils composed of councillors elected by registered voters “.
Recently, armed with a supreme court ruling that restored the MDC T structures of 2014 the MDC-T has been recalling members of parliament, senators and councillors.
