Suburban
WARD 41 residents recently exception to the participation of community organisation JOKUDE, which is fronted by Harare West-based MDC Alliance politicians, in the City of Harare pre-budget meeting.
Suburban Reporter
The residents said the participation of JOKUDE – fronted by Harare West MP Ms Joana Mamombe, former councillors Mrs Kudzai Kadzombe (Ward 41) and Mr Denford Ngadziore (Ward 16) was akin to politicising service delivery.
“With all due respect please don’t politicise service delivery,” complained a resident after JOKUDE had posted a list of the issues the City of Harare should consider in its 2022 financial budget.
Another resident Mrs Olga Kunonga also called JOKUDE to order saying: “Come on people/Lisa Mawuwa (JOKUDE official) is this the time for this?”
Some residents then told JOKUDE that concerns from their suburbs had not been noted in its list to which the body responded saying it had listed issues from those suburbs, which responded to its enquiry to send through matters for consideration in the city’s 2022 budget.
But residents against JOKUDE’s participation insisted the organisation had no authority to be taking part in the meeting or airing residents’ concerns.
“You guys yours is a political outfit of individuals from a political party. Please don’t make yourself an authority of anything, please butt out and let residents air their views directly and not through you,” argued one of the residents.
Added Mrs Kunonga: “City of Harare, please advise are we on this platform to be addressed by JOKUDE or?”
However, some residents saw no problem in JOKUDE participating in the meeting saying the argument whether or not the organisation should take part was distracting the budget consultation.
“Let’s not lose focus, is JOKUDE not an interested party? Some of us got the link (to join the virtual meeting) through their initiative.
“They are representing other residents so I for one believe they speak for a certain constituency and it’s their right,” observed a resident.
But those against JOKUDE were adamant that they could air their grievances or budget input as residents and not through politically linked organisations.
“We are residents we don’t need people to speak for us right now. Politics has no place in service delivery. Please stop doing that.
“COH (City of Harare) has public relations and engineers that can give us answers directly. We don’t (want) to place our trust on several factions of political party factions. Spare us the bootlicking!
“Marlborough has been functioning better without a councillor. Some political actors just start fires and act fluid when they put the fires out to make themselves seem relevant and active,” argued one resident.
Other residents said as long as JOKUDE did not bring in politics in the discussions they should be allowed to make their contributions.
“There is nothing wrong with any meaningful input as long as politics is not brought here.
“ This is a residents’ conversation. Let’s not major on the minor issues leaving council shortchanging us.
“Please let’s not ‘see’ politics in every shadow. If ZANU or MDC points out a bad service that everyone can see what’s political about that. Let’s interrogate the service providers the city council as that is where our hard earned money goes than dwelling on JOKUDE.
“What does JOKUDE have to do with my property,” reasoned one ratepayer.
Those against JOKUDE felt the organisation was hijacking a council process and should be reprimanded because politics should not be mixed with service delivery.
“The COH meeting got hijacked. We want the City of Harare to address us the residents.
“This JOKUDE is always a terrible political sideshow. The ward has no official representation. We don’t have a councillor in office.
“And it is rather mischievous to try and sneak in JOKUDE to assume such a role which guarantees all residents rights by legitimate representation,” said a resident.
Another ratepayer responded: “This is a public forum, no one has the right to stop other citizens from participating, let JOKUDE air their views, if one disagrees with those views, it’s still perfectly fine, let’s not try and suffocate other residents they also have rights like all of us.”
Ward 41 residents had earlier clashed over the involvement of the ward’s recalled councillor Mrs Kadzombe in the pre-budget consultations with some arguing the former representative should not take a lead in the process while others said she was entitled to participate in the process as a resident.
