News / National
Chombo's directive on councils irrational, says MDC-T
23 Jul 2013 at 14:16hrs | Views
The MDC-T says it notes with great concern the populist directive made this week by the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Ignatius Chombo in ordering local councils to write off debts owed by the residents in all urban and rural councils.
MDC-T is worried about the timing of the directive.
"While the MDC-T understands the plight of residents and sympathises with them for the hardships they are facing in failing to pay their bills because of mismanagement and corruption of the Zanu-PF government, we note with concern the timing of Chombo's directive," siad MDC-T in a statement to the press.
"It is not a genuine directive meant to benefit the suffering people of Zimbabwe but it is a Zanu-PF campaign tool as it has realised that the people of Zimbabwe are going to punish them on 31 July for mismanaging the economy over the last 33 years.
"If Chombo's Monday directive was genuine, it should have been made in 2009 before the formation of the inclusive government and when the people of Zimbabwe were facing a serious cash crunch due to the hyperinflationary environment that had been brought about by Zanu-PF's scorched earth policies.
MDC-T says Chombo's directive will cripple the day to day operations of the local councils as most of the people who have highly inflated bills are senior Zanu-PF officials including Chombo who owns hundreds of properties across Zimbabwe that were acquired under controversial circumstances.
MDC-T further says the decree by Chombo is similar to Zanu-PF's policy of 2006 when it forced retail shops to slash their prices, a directive that led to unavailability of basic commodities, closure and loss of jobs to thousands of people.
"Chombo is known for making bankrupt policies and in 2009; he refused to comply with an MDC-T directive to dismiss councillors from the MDC-T who had been fingered in corruption by the party and dismissed," said the MDC-T.
"As the MDC-T our position is that social services such as local governance play a critical role in a functioning society and ensure that all local authorities have technical means and resources to provide adequate water, sanitation, refuse collection, energy and better roads.
"Chombo should know that what the people of Zimbabwe need are not populist policies but jobs and a service oriented local council. People need the provision of affordable service delivery which is an imperator in the next MDC government's overall development agenda," concluded the statement.
MDC-T is worried about the timing of the directive.
"While the MDC-T understands the plight of residents and sympathises with them for the hardships they are facing in failing to pay their bills because of mismanagement and corruption of the Zanu-PF government, we note with concern the timing of Chombo's directive," siad MDC-T in a statement to the press.
"It is not a genuine directive meant to benefit the suffering people of Zimbabwe but it is a Zanu-PF campaign tool as it has realised that the people of Zimbabwe are going to punish them on 31 July for mismanaging the economy over the last 33 years.
"If Chombo's Monday directive was genuine, it should have been made in 2009 before the formation of the inclusive government and when the people of Zimbabwe were facing a serious cash crunch due to the hyperinflationary environment that had been brought about by Zanu-PF's scorched earth policies.
MDC-T says Chombo's directive will cripple the day to day operations of the local councils as most of the people who have highly inflated bills are senior Zanu-PF officials including Chombo who owns hundreds of properties across Zimbabwe that were acquired under controversial circumstances.
MDC-T further says the decree by Chombo is similar to Zanu-PF's policy of 2006 when it forced retail shops to slash their prices, a directive that led to unavailability of basic commodities, closure and loss of jobs to thousands of people.
"Chombo is known for making bankrupt policies and in 2009; he refused to comply with an MDC-T directive to dismiss councillors from the MDC-T who had been fingered in corruption by the party and dismissed," said the MDC-T.
"As the MDC-T our position is that social services such as local governance play a critical role in a functioning society and ensure that all local authorities have technical means and resources to provide adequate water, sanitation, refuse collection, energy and better roads.
"Chombo should know that what the people of Zimbabwe need are not populist policies but jobs and a service oriented local council. People need the provision of affordable service delivery which is an imperator in the next MDC government's overall development agenda," concluded the statement.
Source - Byo24News
