But now I think I have found the answer to that. before I get to this let me get to the heart of my piece.
What happened on Saturday 25 June 2011 at the Mbare Netball Complex to members of the Harare Residents’ Trust (HRT) should not happen again. the circumstances leading to this Black Day are clear. the HRT notified the police, via the Mbare District Police, and the meeting was cleared in time to allow us enough time to plan and coordinate our activities.
The theme was precise and spoke to the issues of the conditions of residents’ life: “Towards a Peaceful and Healthy Environment, and an Improved Living Conditions for Harare Residents.”
Nearly 2 500 people came to the Mbare Netball Complex, sang and danced to the music and singing by various community groups, set up by residents as a way of celebrating the work of the HRT. our speakers included Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, mr Ignatius Chombo, who was represented at the HRT Convention by Mrs Nyarai Priscilla Mudzinge, Director Urban Local Authorities who was the Guest Speaker.
He was said to be busy preparing to host Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministers of local government at the Rainbow Towers.
The Founder and Coordinator of the HRT, the Board Secretary Mrs Elizabeth Rutsate, Board Chairperson Mrs Emilia Chakatsva, the Residents’ Council Chairperson Reverend Onismo Mushonga; the local Members of the House of Assembly, Honourable Gift Chimanikire, who is also the Deputy Minister of Mines the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Local Government Honourable Lynnet Karenyi (Chipinge West), mr Fambai Ngirande, a long time ally of the HRT, mr Shepherd Mandizvidza, the Public Relations Officer for the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), health and residents’ representatives delivered people centred speeches that left residents clamouring for more.
In an act of thuggery, bordering on ignorance and foolishness, identified youths among them Robson Sakala (31 Madzima Road), Chairman of Youth in Ernest Kadungure Branch, Monica Chapusha (33 Madzima Road), Charles (69 Zambe St), Reuben Doti (32 Pazarangu Way), Elvis Linje, and Spiwe (109 Zata St), Tyson Chinyemba (11B, 24th St), Emmanuel Majaya (16A-24th st), Lawrence Sintilau (New Lines, 7c- 4th St), Sam Ziwore, Sandra Chikanya, and a host of other guys known to have started off as street kids residing along the Mukuvisi River, and capable of committing even murder, were witnessed brutalising unarmed, innocent residents, with booted feet, clenched fists, broom sticks and baton sticks. Police have no reason not to take action against these people. they are known, where they live and what they do for a living.
This attack on the gathering of the HRT cannot be blamed on anyone else other than the identified youths, allegedly acting on the instructions of a mr Namion Chirwa, who has become notorious for taking over Majubeki residents’ houses, acting in connivance with identified City of Harare housing allocation officers at Remembrance Drive District Offices. So it is understood when they get very hostile towards the HRT, hiding behind Zanu PF to try to intimidate us.
Mr Chirwa faces multiple charges of abusing his position as a Chairman of Zanu PF’s Joshua Nkomo District where he has allegedly forced over 26 people out of their houses using the identified officials in the Housing Department and replacing them with known people, after payments of around $2 000 in bribes.
The HRT knows that this violence was orchestrated by frightened men who are only protecting their illegal activities, than for the cause of Zanu PF. they are criminals and deserve to be prosecuted for alleged extortion, assault and sexual harassment of innocent women.
As scheduled, most of the speakers delivered their passionate speeches, to rousing ululation and celebration by the strong gathering. Residents representatives, drawn from the suburbs and the solidarity speeches by our friends from other residents’ associations from Harare, Chitungwiza, Kadoma, Chegutu, and Rusape could not deliver their messages due to the disturbances.
What has hurt most HRT leaders is the fact that as soon as the guest speaker, Mrs Mudzinge left around 1340hrs, the youths, travelling in clearly defined groups from Mbare Number 5 grounds between Jourburg Lines and Mbare Flats, blew whistles as a code, and immediately entered the venue of the Convention, holding beer bottles, and other weapons of repression. they locked the gate and started beating up people indiscriminately.
On behalf of myself and the HRT, I sincerely apologise to all those who were beaten up and injured, including our strategic partners from ZESA, Kadoma and Chegutu who suffered various degrees of injuries as a result of this thuggish behaviour.
Let me highlight to the world what the HRT stands for- truth and justice, residents’ rights, local government, nothing more nothing less. our membership is drawn from across the political divide and our policy is that we side with no political party, not even Zanu PF, not even the MDC-T, Mavambo, Zapu etc.
Painful as it is, known members of Zanu PF within our ranks were also beaten up for simply participating in the activity of an organisation that stands for social service delivery, an organisation that has a mandate of over 20 000 residents to deal decisively with issues of corruption in the housing department of the City of Harare. we also apologise to our members from Zanu PF and other political parties who were beaten up.
The HRT is one of a few Zimbabwean organisations that has remained neutral in a polarised society, and has successfully brought together progressive members of the political parties existing in Zimbabwe, and the Church because our issues are strictly residents’ issues.
No amount of intimidation will change that. we have been a beacon of hope to the vulnerable in society, those who are struggling with illegal evictions, unjustified rates and rentals and inconsistent billing by service providers. Elected councillors have also been a big let down to the citizens as they are failing to articulate the issues of the communities.
These communities need a strong institution of the calibre of the HRT to articulate those issues and force service providers and elected representatives to account for their actions. it is one of the reasons elderly, young and middle-aged people across the political divide, strong Christians, even non-Christians have found a new lease of life in the thrust and ideals of the HRT. they seek solutions to their community social challenges.
The people who disrupted the HRT Convention were apparently drunk. they used the empty beer bottles to smash people’s heads. despite it being a legally constituted gathering, the Officer in Charge at Stodart Police Station, an Inspector Moyo claimed afterwards when people thronged the police station for protection that he had not been informed of this gathering so had not officially assigned any police officers to protect the delegates.
But then the question to answer is; why did the three or five police officers at the entrance to the venue disappear as soon as these drunken people locked the gates. they stole a laptop belonging to the owners of the hired Public Address system; they took away my Black Nokia 6630 cell phone handset serial number 354349008370879, confiscated HRT t-shirts from residents travelling to the venue, which we suspect they will use to commit crimes in an attempt to tarnish the image of the HRT.
The HRT requests Zanu PF leadership in Harare Province, Chairman Amos Midzi, if they entertain ever winning any seat in Mbare, to disband this Chipangano group and the police must take appropriate action against the identified criminals, hiding behind their party to rob people and dispossess people of their homes. these violent people are not doing it to promote Zanu PF but to destroy this nationalist party as they are only interested in accumulating wealth and assets, stolen from people, who in turn will vote against Zanu PF come election time. This is friendly advice to be taken seriously. the age for barbaric political activism has gone, now it is time for innovative and persuasive methods of reaching out to people.
As our theme stated, residents want to live in peace and in a healthy environment where they can enjoy their rights without hindrance. Residents want peace and not violence. the HRT demands peace and development.
Thank you, HRT Website: hrt.org.zw Email: info@hrt.org.zw / admin@hrt.org.zw /membership@hrt.org.zw