Harare town clerk crisis hampering service delivery

Published: 19 July 2018

The continued wrangling at Harare City Council over the appointment of a town clerk has left service delivery at the mercy of politics, a development that the local authority should not allow to persist.

It's unfortunate that residents of Harare have continued to be denied the world class service they deserve, as the city administration opts to focus more on politics rather than their mandate of delivering quality service to residents and rate-payers.

Council, which should be a mirror of central government, has failed to deal with the town clerk issue on numerous occasions with thousands of dollars going to waste largely due to political differences by key decision makers — much to the detriment of service delivery.

As a nation, we must always thrive to focus on capability ahead of one's political affiliation, a development that has led the county to its economic doldrums. For far too long, unnecessary political fights rooted in greed and personal desires have been allowed to impinge on development in the city and this should come to a stop forthwith.

Political differences have also stifled the process and council, financially crippled as it may be, was made to pay close to $50 000 to consultants to help unlock the logjam at a time when refuse collection and water supply services were at their lowest.

We condemn this in the strongest terms. The responsible authorities should consider the plight of financially struggling rate-payers who are finding it hard to fund a wasteful council whose agenda seem to be politics ahead of service provision.

Ratepayers are not worried about the town clerk's politics, but simply someone who will drive the capital city from its stagnation which has also seen workers' morale hit the lowest ebb, while contending with dilapidated infrastructure and pot-holed roads has become the norm.

Harare residents are not worried about the gender of the town clerk as long as the candidate appointed has what it takes to transform the commercial capability of the capital city and ensure their safety through the provision of social services such street lights, safe roads and clean water.

Constitutionally, it is the responsibility of councillors to select the town clerk, as the councillors represent the wishes and aspirations of the people at local government level, hence any attempt by anyone whose interests are for political expediency should be frowned upon by any right-thinking Zimbabweans.

We join ratepayers and all other stakeholders in calling upon the mayor to address the town clerk issue and allow service delivery to be the main agenda for the next council set to be voted in on July 30.
- newsday

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