IRKING  NEWS 

Residents are irked by the City of Harare’s decision to charge rates in foreign currency. CHRA is conducting public meetings code-named ‘Meet your councilor’ where residents are registering their disappointment at the city of Harare’s forex charges.

So far the public meetings have been held in Dzivarasekwa and Glenview. Residents are irked by the fact that council offices are refusing to accept the ZW$ as legal tender for bill payments saying that the ‘new budget’ stipulates that rates should be paid in foreign currency; yet the said budget is merely a council proposal that has not yet been approved. The residents have not even been consulted on the formulation of that proposal which the council is already considering for approval. Thus effectively the council is now implementing certain aspects of the 2009 Budget proposal which the residents have not participated in its formulation and also which the councilors themselves have not approved!!   

Residents in Mabvuku-Tafara have confirmed that they have been charged US$34 per household while those in Glenview and Dzivarasekwa have been charged between US$22 and US$35. Residents who are paying their rates in forex are being given receipts that are quoted in the ZW$. 

The Councilor for Dzivarasekwa Ward 39, confirmed that the City of Harare intends to charge residents in foreign currency but the budget has not yet been passed. The Council will meet on Thursday ((26 February 2009) to deliberate on this issue. Councilor Mashambanhaka from Glenview was supporting the budget at a public meeting organized by CHRA in Glenview on the 21^st of February 2009 saying that this is the only way that Council can generate revenue. He also confirmed that rentals for council houses will be pegged at no less than US$68. Residents resolved that they will not pay rates in foreign currency because they were not consulted on the proposed budget. Meanwhile CHRA leadership is engaging the City Council over these matters. CHRA urges residents not to pay such bills but report to CHRA for the way forward.   

Water supply and the sewer system 

Glenview and Budiriro entered their second week without tap water and this is putting a strain on UNICEF’s supplies as they are not enough to meet the demand from residents. There is raw sewer flowing at an area that is near Rujeko Poly clinic in Dzivarasekwa. Residents who were interviewed by CHRA said that raw sewer in the area has been flowing for more than a year now and they blame this unhealthy situation for the increasing cholera cases in Dzivarasekwa. Other affected areas include Kuwadzana, Glen Norah, Mbare and Highfield. Glen Lorne, Mandara, Marlborough, Greendale, Highlands, Sentosa and Msasa Park are still undergoing a prolonged dry spell as there have been no water supplies for weeks now.

Most parts of Glen Lorne have actually gone for more than two years without water supplies and residents have had to drill boreholes at their homesteads to get water. Mabvuku-Tafara is another area that has been affected by prolonged dry spells and yet residents are being asked to pay a flat water fee of US$10 per household. Avondale, Kuwadzana, Dzivarasekwa, parts of Mabelreign, Kuwadzana Extension, the Avenues area in the city centre and Eastlea have been receiving regular water supplies. However, WHO released a report that the water in Harare (from both protected and unprotected sources) has feacal contamination. Residents have pointed out that this is as a result of the raw sewerage that is flowing in most high density suburbs of Harare.  

Electricity supply

Most high density areas experienced intermittent power cuts during the past week. These areas include Kuwadzana, Mbare, Highfield, Mufakose, Crowborough, Rugare and Kambuzuma. Msasa Park and parts of Hatfield experienced daily power cuts for the whole week. Some parts of Mabvuku-Tafara are still having problems with electricity transformers that are blowing up on a regular basis; a situation that has seen some areas going for weeks without electricity. However, most areas in northern suburbs received constant power supplies.

Breadbasket

In addition to bread which has gone down from US$1 to US$0, 50 (US$0, 60 in some supermarkets), some supermarkets are now selling a bottle of 2 litres cooking oil for US$3 from the previous US$3, 80. Mazoe orange crush (2 litres) which was going for at least US$3 is now being sold for US$2, 80 in some retail shops.  

Health

CHRA has received reports from desperate residents in Glenview who are finding it difficult to access medical care due to the forex charges that have been effected at council clinics. Residents have complained that Council clinics are refusing to accept payments in ZW$. Private Doctors are charging US$25 as consultation fees; a situation that has distanced many residents from accessing private health care services.

Waste Management 

City of Harare workers have been cleaning most bus terminuses in the city on a regular basis for the past two weeks. Such areas include Fourth Street, Market Square and Copa Cabana. However, there is still need for Council to increase the number of rubbish bins at these areas so as to avoid random littering at bus terminuses. The Council has also done some grass cutting in low density areas like Highlands, Avondale and Mabelreign. However, the grass cutters who were engaged by the City of Harare are complaining about the paltry salaries that they are receiving from Council saying that they hardly get by. Refuse collection remains a challenge as most high density suburbs are still littered by piles of refuse. There are reports from sources at Town House to the effect that the City of Harare sold five hundred cattle to get money o fix the garbage trucks that have not been functional.  

The political atmosphere 

At a glance, the political environment seems to be stable since the swearing in of the Prime Minister and his Deputies as well as the Cabinet. However CHRA is still concerned over the continued incarceration of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate Roy Bennet, ZPP Director Jestina Mukoko and the 21 MDC activists. The Association demands the immediate release of these political prisoners.

Residents are hopeful that the Prime Minister and the inclusive government as a whole will address the local governance crisis that has been bedeviling Harare and other cities as well as review legislation and policies that hamper effective civic participation in local and central governance.  

Conclusion 

The Combined Harare Residents Association will continue to monitor municipal service delivery in Harare and also advocate for good and transparent local governance. The Association urges the City of Harare to consider the residents’ plight with regards to the forex charges and to follow the proper channels of the budget formulation process as is laid down in the Urban Councils’ Act Chapter 15:29 section 219 (2) and (3). CHRA remains committed to advocating for quality and affordable municipal services.