via CHRA takes Chombo head-on over Town Clerk | SW Radio Africa by Tichaona Sibanda on Tuesday, February 4, 2014
The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) on Tuesday lambasted Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo for his ‘unwanted interference’ with the affairs of the city council.
The association warned the Minister to back off or residents will take to the streets for peaceful protests and a massive rates boycott.
CHRA chairperson Simbarashe Moyo told journalists in Harare that Chombo is complicit in underhand dealings and scandals that continue to affect service delivery in Harare.
Residents in the capital have been irked by Chombo’s decision to order Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni to rescind his earlier decision to suspend Town Clerk, Tendai Mahachi, for his failure to comply with a directive to provide a salary schedule for council’s top management.
‘A big man like Chombo is feeding off public funds that should otherwise be used to develop the social service delivery in Harare. It is a matter of public record that Chombo has been accused of abusing his authority to acquire large pieces of land from the city of Harare,’ said Moyo.
He warned that the residents will not sit by and watch the plunder of public resources to satisfy the unsuitable appetite of a few managers who are gobbling up over $500,000 at the expense of social services.
Moyo continued; ‘These salaries are not only obscene but show we live in a sick society where public officials are appointed on party political lines and allowed to abuse their positions with impunity.’
CHRA vowed to put an end to all the corruption by demanding a statement that details the salaries and packages of the top management within 7 days, as it was in the public interest for the figures to be known publicly.
‘The Mayor and councillors must insist on the successful implementation of investigations of the issue of salaries at Town House and the Local Government Minister must ensure, within a reasonable timeframe, produce a revised and modest salary bill for top management,’
If these demands are not met CHRA said they will call for a massive rates boycott and file an urgent High Court application to block the payment of public officials until the matter has been resolved
‘We will also mobilise for peaceful protests until these demands are met,’ said Moyo.
COMMENTS
It’s high time Harare residents must wrestle Chombo regardless of one’s political affiliation, what matters here is your money.
Shame on us we black Africans, for our endless and heartless greedness have killed nations across Africa.
Dear Mr Chombo, l berg you to show a sense of humour,you have done enough harm than good to several cities and towns while peoole remain silent.
what an ‘African Syndrome’,you come berging for a job, we employ you, tomorrow you are more superior that your employer.
Zimbabweans, we are too resiient,….zvatinoda ndozvatiri…zvatiri ndozvatinoda true or false.
That is the language we want to hear Mr Moyo.We must confront these thieves head on!There is no other way.
Way to GO CHRA, let the other towns and Citys follow your initiative….
If cde chombo has nothing to hide, why does he not let the audit process to take place. cde mahachi was suspended with full benefits and he was not going to be prejudiced. so why reversing the mayor’s decision. people want transparency and accountability. cde chombo please let the transparency process take its course. stop embarrassing yourself. why are you protecting the town clerk? why why why?
Stand firm for your rights my countrymen and women, let no fool try to intimidate you when you are simply asking for your rights to be respected.We are tired of these politicians who protect these looters who are so inefficient and dull but they expect us to pay them thousands of dollars per month.
These political appointees are worse than mercenaries because these mercenaries get the job done NOT these Harare top bosses who cannot get simple water pumps working.They give thousands of excuses for failing to supply drinkable water to the masses.
This problem should be left to the line management,that is ,the mayor to resolve without interference from the minister.The mayor is supposed to be the CEO of a town or city,thus why they meet the president when he visits their towns and cities NOT the town clerks.The town and city structures were decided at parliament NOT by the councils, therefore the minister cannot just change regulations whenever it suits him to protect looters at the expense of the masses whose funds are being looted.
We are very encouraged that CHRA is advocating that unless the Minister does the right thing, which I have my doubts about, they will encourage a rates boycott. Absolutely right! Why should we pay these looters any more than they have already taken? They should have been fired long ago for incompetence if Chombo really had the interests of the people at heart. I appeal to the younger generation of today to emulate the people of the 60’s & 70’s who were prepared to sacrifice their few comforts for a better tomorrow. Things will only get worse if we don’t act now.
Greedy, thieving, unscrupulous bunch of no goods!!!
Residents of Harare must come in full force to support Moyo’s stance. Its high time people stand up to this madness by Chombo and his thugs! All other cities must follow this brave act and return sanity to the cities if not the country as a whole. The opposition must stand with the masses here not just giving empty press statements and thereafter do nothing. Chombo is corrupt and has benefited from his friendship with Mahachi. Its time to say NO to Oppression and Corruption!
Well done Moyo yot will have my support. Tired of these no good bobos.
Well done Moyo. you will have my support. Tired of these no good bobos.
Moyo we are behind you as a nation not chombo
BRAVO MOYO! WELL DONE. WE ARE RIGHT BEHIND YOU AND AGREE WE HIT THESE CLEPTOMANIACS WHERE IT HURTS MOST-THEIR BOTTOMLESS POCKETS. FELLOW ZIMBABWEANS THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW. IT IS OUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY. THE DIASPORA IS WILLING TO GET INVOLVED TO TAKE BACK WHAT BELONGS TO US. EVERYONE HAS SOME RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS EACH OTHER. IF OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE DONE IT, WHY NOT US?