Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) MDC councillors' shadow boxing hides failure

MDC councillors' shadow boxing hides failure
by Tanaka Masimba
17/01/2011 00:00:00

THERE is no denying the fact that Zanu PF presided over the collapse of the once vibrant economy. The country was almost in a dysfunctional state in 2008 when the country held disputed elections which almost kicked President Robert Mugabe off the perch.

Though disputed, the elections changed the political landscape because the three main political parties – the two formations of the MDC and Zanu PF – were forced into a power sharing deal by SADC leaders.

The political pact, known as the Global Political Agreement, led to the formation of the inclusive government which helped stabilise the country once tottering on the brink of collapse.

While there have been improvements in the social services where teachers and medical personnel are still paid a pittance – the inclusive government has not done enough.

The biggest area of concern has been the municipal services where there is still chaos, corruption and hideous activities that have failed to pluck towns and cities out of their poor state that they were in before the formation of the inclusive government.
All the urban councils are controlled by the main faction of the MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

Zanu PF’s Ignatious Chombo is the Minister responsible for these municipalities and has clashed incessantly with the councillors who frown and spit at his office which they say is there to undermine their work.

Since wresting control of urban councils from Zanu PF after the March 29, 2008, elections, these councilors have instituted investigations which they say have unearthed serious irregularities involving prime land belonging to the city fathers.

The Harare City Council and to some extent the Bulawayo City Council, have been the battleground for supremacy between Chombo and MDC-T councillors.

The HCC produced three reports -- one on stolen cattle from its farms; the second on alleged land fraud involving maverick businessman Philip Chiyangwa and Chombo; and the third on the new airport road.

Chiyangwa filed a lawsuit against the councillors which he later withdrew but not before the Mayor of HCC, Muchadeyi Masunda, had clashed with his councillors when he “detected” unprocedural handling of the investigation.

Masunda, a lawyer, queried why Chiyangwa was never given the right to respond to the allegation contained in the probe before it was finalised and handed over to the authorities including police.

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The speed at which these probes were conducted -- all came within 16 months of the inclusive government being formed -- naturally leaves the conclusions reached in those reports to conjecture.

But this is not the point. The point is that the councillors, while striving to steer the councils to improved service delivery, they need to stop grandstanding.
Hardly a week passes by without the mention of Zanu PF and Chombo in council business, and often in a negative way.

While it is commendable that they would want to restore sanity and promote good governance in these councils, one senses that there is too much politicking driven by the incremental attitude where the MDC would consolidate in government by claiming victory everywhere where it is serving.

But of course, no-one wants to look at the Chitungwiza Town Council where MDC councillors grabbed land, bought many cars and even sold residents’ stands on Facebook, just months after assuming office.

In Bindura, Kadoma and other small towns, the MDC’s Tapiwa Mashakada led serious investigations which left the party with an egg on its face after exposing endemic malfeasance.

So, while we condemn Zanu PF and question Chombo’s attitude towards the MDC-dominated councils, it is important to remind ourselves that residents continue to suffer because of politicisation of local governance business.

The MDC councillors would score more if they came up with a blue print that would result in the return of street lighting, paved roads, supply of clean water and adherence to council by –laws, rubbish collection regularly and others critical services.

Dealing with corruption is not an easy thing because there is lack of co-operation and at times, findings are manipulated for political gain.

The councillors must seize themselves with council business and stop politicking. Pointing out at every turn that previous Zanu PF administrations destroyed the municipalities will not bring progress.

Only on January 12, the main faction of the MDC instructed its councillors and mayors to hold an emergency meeting to fight Chombo. But examining these mayors and councillors, one discovers many frailties and weaknesses.
A day they met at Harvest House, the MDC-T headquarters, the party issued a statement in which it distanced the councillors from the slashing of maize in Harare.

“The MDC Harare province strongly condemns the irrational slashing of maize crops in high density areas by some rebel Zanu PF Harare City Council employees who are bent on tarnishing the image of a Party of Excellence – the MDC.

“Harare province further notes with concern that the employees are falsely claiming that they were assigned by the councillors to slash the maize in a desperate bid by Zanu PF to tarnish the image of the democratically-elected councillors who are all from the MDC.”

But the maize was slashed because it was cultivated on the banks of streams and this is a violation of council by-laws. The MDC has to decide whether it wants to promote lawlessness in the city, only if this would result in cheap point-scoring over Zanu PF.

It is an offence to embark on stream bank cultivation as this causes siltation in the rivers and later leads to pollution and more contamination of water sources. This has been always the situation. So, it baffles the mind that the MDC councillors would rather flout their bylaws and decide to maintain a “pro-poor” party yet their council budgets do not reflect rates and services that are pro-poor.

For the record, both the HCC and the BCC are yet to complete their budgets which by all accounts will see a new wave of rate increases. Residents have already complained that the current charges are extortionate.

Under the Urban Councils Act, residents can lodge 30 objections and block the budget from being passed. And Chombo can either reject or approve the budget under the Urban Councils Act.

Of course this can be used as a red herring by the councillors and mayors who held their meeting at Harvest House on January 13 where they resolved to fight serious malpractices and crimes committed by Zanu PF in previous councils, noting Chombo’s alleged looting and asset stripping of council’s finite resources.

So, the fight between Chombo and the councillors drawn from the cities and towns governed by the MDC is far from being over. Yet, residents could be benefitting more if both Chombo and the councillors find a common ground aimed at steering these municipalities towards service delivery.

Instead, local councils have been politicised to the extent of covering up the malpractices of either those linked with Zanu PF or deliberate abdication of duty by MDC councillors.

It is the residents that suffer whilst political grandstanding is the order of the day.

Labels: IGNATIUS CHOMBO, MDC CORRUPTION

posted by MrK @ 8:00 PM