Harare City Councillors must resign if they can't manage the affairs of the city

The reports of corruption by certain members of the Harare City Council makes very disturbing reading especially at this time when the City clasped in the forceps of both poor service delivery and non-remuneration of workers. That only four council officials have so far been fingered is no cause for comfort as it may only be the tip of the iceberg. Behind the ‘dark' City of Harare Cupboard ugly skeletons could be lurking. The attempt to cover up and stifle investigations if true are really disturbing to say the least. lf only four council officials are responsible for the misappropriation of diverted 52 000 litres of petrol worth US$70 400 which itself could be rather conservative, and if that be the average then the amount spent by the rest of the cabal could be astronomical. The attempt to cover up shows that more people could be involved.

lt must be noted that the genesis of opposition politics in Zimbabwe was in the fight against corruption. One remembers the almost lone voice of Edgar Tekere in the eighties which culminated in the formation of the party ZUM. The cry against corruption continued in the nineties as it was exacerbating the already chronic level of mismanagement in the government . In 1999 the Labour Movement, Student Bodies, church groups and many civic organizations to the number of thirty five converged to form a broad based party that went by the Name MDC.

Among the many aims of the party was the eradication of corruption which had become endemic in the country.

Many people welcomed the advent of the new party hoping it would take over and end the rot. There were even those who felt that even if the party failed to unseat ZANU-PF it would act as a pressure group to keep it on its toes.

Now, sixteen years later the opposition in the form of the MDC-T is also in government by it's being in the legislature and local government. One would have expected the opposition party in government to be a shining beacon of light against the discredited ZANU-PF. The founding principles of the party as symbolized by the 'D' of their moniker were people centredness and accountability. lt becomes painful to see functionaries from the same party being accused of superintending over the same vices that ZANU-PF is being accused of. lt draws the carpet from under the feet of opposition as a whole.

PDP as a people centred and value based party is against all forms of corruption and insensitivity towards the suffering masses.
We sympathise with the workers of Harare City council who have gone for months on end without pay. We feel for those whose kith and kin perished on the roads that have become worse than jungle trails due to neglect. We pinch our noses at the stink of uncollected garbage and feel for those whose health has suffered as a consequence.

The perennial cry is always that there is no money to fund service delivery. Other excuses are government interference and the general level of poverty in the country. However, it becomes painful in these hard times to learn that the problem is compounded by the dishonesty of those entrusted by residents to look after their interests. We urge the MDC-T party to launch a thorough investigation into these serious allegations against it's members who are manning Harare City Council and take appropriate action. To hide behind the victimization claim holds no water without a comprehensive interrogation of the matter. Now as opposition we can't aim our guns at the ZANU-PF government as some of the bullets will hit fellow opposition members. If the councillors are so powerless, why are they still at the city council chambers? They must resign immediately, unless if their continued stay was to draw allowances for personal upkeep!

We are also resident in Harare and feel too the results of this corruption and inefficiency and urge Harare Councillors to either reform or quit. We also insist that all involved in shady deals at the expense of the suffering residents face the full wrath of the law without fear or favour. Enough is enough.

Cde. Nqobizitha Dumakude Khumalo...PDP Provincial Spokesperson.

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