By Chenai Maramba
KAROI- Karoi residents have been urged to unite and push service providers to be accountable.
Speaking during stakeholders meeting between local residents’ associations, labour representatives and informal traders last week, Harare Residents Trust (HRT) director Precious Shumba said that residents can do better if they are united and speak with one voice.
‘Be united as you fight for your rights in better service delivery. The challenges you are going through can only have solutions from you,’ he said.
However, Shumba warned that there are some individuals who purport to be leaders yet they want to take such projects as personal money-spinning ventures.
Be honest- Shumba
‘It is a welcome idea to have well-respected organisations that stand for residents rights on service delivery but be cautious on some individuals that are dubious and are criminals who want to pocket money. Those who want to represent residents must be honest, acting transparently in everything they do on behalf of residents. As you go along, some will show their true colours due to lack of commitment on residents’ affairs which is a calling,’ said Shumba.
He urged residents to work with all stakeholders including council, Zimbabwe National Water Authority, Zimbabwe Electricity Power Distribution Company among others so that they are accountable to residents.
‘Of course, we need to pay rates but does it justify service provided to us all? Councillors are elected on political jackets but once in office they represent everyone so they must not divide residents, they must be accountable to us all,’ he added.
Godwin Gutsa, a human rights defender and theatre manager urged council to pin homeowners to pay rates as this has seen council failing to get a financial boost to enhance service delivery.
‘Council is owed several million yet tenants are updated and we hope homeowners will be incorporated in such meetings so that they understand it better,’ said Gutsa.
Forged force
Karoi Residents and Ratepayers Association chairperson Freckie Kuchekwa called local residents to step up calls for a ‘forged force’ to confront council.
‘We have several issues to be addressed but since we are divided, the council is taking advantage of this and manipulating us. We are concerned that Zinwa has failed to give better water services to residents yet water is a basic human right to everyone,’ said Kuchekwa.
Shumba also warned that there is a need to take time and understand how council functions.
‘We hope those who are here are focused on how our councils work. It is your right to attend full council meetings to be abreast with what is going on in council business,’ said Shumba.
The meeting was facilitated by Progressive Karoi Residents (PKR) in its thrust to help in communication between residents’ representatives, stakeholders among them labour, youths, informal sector among others.
PKR coordinated the meeting and in a statement said they are geared to work with those that want to see Karoi grow through better communication.
‘As PKR we are open to working closely with organisations and individuals who want to see Karoi making better strides in developing our town. We have seen communication gaps between residents, stakeholders and other players, and we will act to help each other. No one has a monopoly of ideas, that is why we have engaged other stakeholders and Harare Residents Trust to help us formulate a better approach in our first meeting within two months after the group was formed. We are open for progressive ideas, implement what is good for us as Karoi residents. We hope all partners will be as accommodative as we are in helping each other. We must be focused,’ said the statement
PKR has members within Karoi town, other towns as well as abroad.
Additional reporting, editing by Nhau Mangirazi
(Mangirazi is a multimedia investigative award-winning journalist in the environment, mining, health, child rights, HIV and AIDS, Municipal, Arts, Sports and Entertainment among others. He is an international journalist. Mangirazi is a citizen journalist media trainer)
Chenai Maramba is a Hurunwe based human rights defender, healthcare and social activist.
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