Suburban
The Borrowdale Ratepayers and Residents Association is currently undertaking an ambitious membership drive in which the residents’ body is aiming to triple their membership before year end.
Peter Tanyanyiwa Suburban Reporter
The residents’ representative body is currently offering a special fee if members renew or new members join and pay up before year end, at the current membership fee of US$10 per household. The membership fee will be increased from January 1st, 2022.
In an interview this week, BRRA chairperson Mr Robert Mutyasira said they are on a major membership recruitment drive. He said every resident must be part of the process as the residents’ body represents their interests.
“We are sensitising the entire ward of the relevance of having a vibrant residents’ body and need for each resident to be a part of the support system of the body. Empowering BRRA is empowering yourself and protecting your own interests. We are non-partisan and we do not follow any political path but we simply want to enhance the capacity for advocacy among residents,” said Mr Mutyasira.
The BRRA leader urged the City of Harare and other service providers to be transparent and consistent on service delivery as the residents were going above and beyond to complement their efforts.
“Local authorities must remain transparent, responsive, accountable as well as consistent on service delivery. Building an entity with high levels of impact will need a higher ratio of residents coming on board. The transformation of our community must be a participative process if we are to shift the major paradigms that are pillars of our welfare,” said Mr Mutyasira.
To help facilitate the membership recruitment drive which began a week ago and will run for three weeks, the BRRA will be having a team at the Stables Market at Borrowdale Racecourse on Saturdays, educating residents of Ward 18 on what the body is all about and what they actually do.
“We decided to do a ‘three Saturdays’ at the Stables Market informing Borrowdale residents what it is that we are and do as BRRA, and how being a member can benefit them and the community as a whole. We are currently offering a special if members renew or new members pay before year end, at the current fee of only US$10 per household. Price will increase from January 1st 2022,” said BRRA committee member Mrs Pat Townsend.
Last week, the BRRA bemoaned the fragmented approach residents of Ward 18 are using in addressing service delivery issues.
It said numerous smaller residents’ associations formed in some suburbs were not synchronising their efforts to address service delivery issues resulting in a fragmented approach.
BRRA said it was embarking on a campaign for unity towards achieving common objectives in Ward 18.
Ward 18 covers Borrowdale, Borrowdale Brooke, Greystone Park, Helensvale, Hogerty Hill, Philadelphia, Glen Lorne, Umwinsidale, Carrick Creagh, Crowhill and Quinnington.
While the BRRA is the umbrella residents’ representative body for Ward 18, there are numerous other smaller associations which include Borrowdale Brooke Home Owners Association, Carrick Creagh Home Owners Association and Quinnington Residents Association while in some suburbs residents have established neighbourhood watch committees that deal with mainly security issues although they sometimes find themselves having to handle other service delivery issues.
BRRA chairperson Mr Robert Mutyasira said he was concerned about sporadic establishments of residents’ associations which are not coordinated enough to be a critical mass for change.
“The leadership of the existing associations are proving to be a bit unresponsive and our attempts for engagement are hitting brick walls. We wish all sections of Ward 18 would take a leaf from Borrowdale Brooke Estate who have a highly functional and harmonious relationship with BRRA. They contribute significantly towards the annual subscriptions and whenever possible they participate in activities aimed at improving our community.
“They have an option not to cooperate, as we all know the estate has functional facilities and systems, but with all their merits they understand they are part of a bigger circle. Greystone Park community too, work well with the umbrella association and the results are quite apparent. There are sound security systems in Greystone Park from which we can learn and benefit from,” said Mr Mutyasira.
