MDC-T divided over murambatsvina demolitions

THE MDC-T is reportedly divided over the proposed demolition of illegal structures around Zimbabwe amid reports that some councillors from the party were in support of the move on the grounds that illegal structures were a national disgrace and a mess.

It has emerged, however, that while these few councillors view the move as a necessity to restore order in the cities, the party leadership is against the demolitions and appears set to expose Zanu PF for its inhumane treatment of residents.

MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora yesterday said his party was opposed to the demolition programme being spearheaded by Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo.

Last week, Budiriro Ward councillor Panganayi Charumbira (MDC-T) told a full council meeting that he wanted illegal structures in his ward demolished.

"I called the town clerk (Tendai Mahachi) and other officials telling them of an illegal structure in my ward, but up to now, no action has been taken," Charumbira said.

Over the weekend, Mahachi was quoted in the State media saying the demolitions would start today.

However, Harare mayor Bernard Manyenyeni yesterday declined to comment over the matter, saying he supported the position of the town clerk.

"We speak with one voice (with the town clerk) in the interest of good order. There have been many statements on that and it's better not to comment further," Manyenyeni said.

Last week, Ruwa town board chairman Phineas Mushayabasa said it was not council's decision to demolish people's properties, but the local authority was being forced to do so by the government.

Mwonzora said the MDC-T-dominated councils were not responsible for the clean-up exercise, charging that the move was a Zanu PF mission of avenging its electoral loss in urban areas.

"The MDC-T is against these demolitions. Destroying people's property during the rainy season without providing an alternative is sadistic, cruel and inhumane. It can only be done by a government that is meting revenge on the people.

"The government has failed to provide jobs and the unemployment rate is at 85%. The only option left is the informal sector."

Mwonzora distanced his party councillors from the move saying it was a Zanu PF ploy to set the city fathers against the people.

"The directive did not come from councillors, it came from the government wanting to set the MDC-T council against the people, but Zimbabweans know the truth," Mwonzora said.

Lawyer and MDC-T Harare provincial chairperson Obert Gutu said: "The threatened demolition of the so-called illegal structures is a direct and unmitigated attack on the Bill of Rights enshrined in the new Constitution of Zimbabwe, in particular Section 74 of the Constitution that specifically provides that no person may be evicted from their home, or have their home demolished, without an order of court made after considering all the relevant circumstances.

"Put alternatively, no sane and democratic government should proceed to cruelly and indiscriminately demolish the so-called illegal structures before undertaking a holistic due diligence exercise to ascertain why, in the first place, the said structures were allowed to mushroom all over the place.

"The government should not victimise the people simply because they are poor and vulnerable and also because these poor people have been misled by unscrupulous politicians. Be that as it may, the government has a duty to respect and uphold the doctrine of constitutionalism."

However, investigations by our sister paper NewsDay show that over the past years, the MDC-T- dominated councils have been calling for demolition of illegal structures, the same way the Zanu PF government was now pushing.
Former Harare deputy mayor Emmanuel Chiroto was quoted last year as saying:

"People should stop building illegal structures. We are a council that loves its city more than we love votes. We won't allow people to do what they want because we want votes. We won't allow lawlessness. These people should run around and try and regularise their structures, lest they would be destroyed."

Meanwhile, MDC-T MPs have indicated that they would raise the issue in Parliament next week.