By Lloyd Takawira
The Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) has said the recalling of councilors by the MDC T is at the cost of service delivery.
The residents lobby group said the recalls of councilors by the MDC-T has left residents without representatives at community level.
“The recalls have crippled service delivery and political representation.
“The recalls has created leadership vacuum at community level with residents pushed to the periphery of local governance.”
In light of the massive recalls CHRA said the only way to save the residents was a national Convergence .
“As CHRA we are calling for a National Convergence among Residents Associations and CSOs over the matter as it has become a nationwide issue.”
The Khupe led MDC T has been on a nation wide recall spree that has seen many sitting members of parliament as well as councilors dismissed from their posts.
According to unconfirmed reports Harare mayor, Jacob Mafume will likely be recalled by Lucia Matibenga of PDP.
Local government expert , Tinoda Chimwanda said, “the massive recalls have nothing to do with constitutionalism’ but are power contestation fighting pitting the MDC T and the MDC Alliance.
“The most worrying thing is that , residents are going to be the ones suffering as the constitutional right to representation is involuntarily taken away from the voter ”
Mai Kunashe a resident of ward 34 whose , councilor Simon Mapanzure was recalled had no kind words for the MDC-T , “Whom did they consult when they fired our councilor. He is a hard-working man . Handiti by-elections ichauya tongovavhotera futi (we will vote for him again).”
Another resident , Trust Sibanda of ward 29 whose councilor Runyowa Chihoma was recalled sang a different hym.
“We barely knew him, we read it in the papers that he has been recalled . It’s good that we have a commission . All what they know is to parcel out stands to their girlfriends.”
On the 5th of December the country will hold by-elections to replace elected representatives who couldn’t complete their terms.
