Budiriro 5 demolitions by the Harare City Council on December 9 has caused a lot of confusion among the people as it is not clear who is responsible for the demolitions that left a lot of families homeless in the rain.
The ruling party Zanu PF and the main opposition party MDC Alliance are blaming each other for the heartless demolitions that made headlines in most countries around the world.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information (ZANU PF) Nick Mangwana posted on social media how it is the City Council (run by MDC) which is held accountable for the demolitions,
“The Plaintiff is @cohsunshinecity. It’s their council resolution to demolish. It’s them who took cases to court seeking permission to implement. The court granted the orders THEY sought. They contacted Deputy Sheriff to serve eviction notices. Now they have sent in bulldozers!,
“The same @cohsunshinecity which is demolishing people’s houses, failing to collect rubbish, failing to provide water and is highly corrupt has a lot of properties scattered across the city. The rent is being pocketed by a few there.” Nick Mangwana posted on his social media page.
Meanwhile, the MDC Alliance leader, Nelson Chamisa accused the ruling Zanu PF for demolishing the houses using words on his social media posts like “houses demolished by authorities”, “this command politics based on iron fisted governance style.”
“I’m in Budiriro..Heavy downpours here in Budiriro where some families are exposed and suffering after their houses were arbitrarily demolished by authorities…This cruelty and heartlessness is unacceptable!,
“The heartless and cruel demolition of citizens’ homes is a violation of human rights and a violation of the dignity & security of persons. This command politics based on iron-fisted governance style must be resisted by us all! Those responsible, Stop it!” Chamisa posted.
This then brought confusion to the victims and the whole nation at large as to who exactly is the cause for these demolitions?
However, Harare Mayor, Jacob Mafume (MDC) who was arrested a few days ago on charges of corruption and is currently out on bail on his social media post doesn’t seem to lay the blame on anyone else as he said he is verifying the demolitions.
“I have come from jail into a storm. I have asked the officials to compile the court orders that are there advertise them on all platforms. Those with a legal basis be allowed to prove. Need to be humane always in Covid 19 times. In the meantime we hold in abeyance all processes.” The Mayor said.
Demolitions in this country have been going on for a long time now since the Zanu PF Murambatsvina in 2005 and it seems as if it is not clear who are really the perpetrators between the ruling Zanu PF and the Harare City Council dominated MDC.
Journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono however released a chat on how the local government and Council is controlled. Below is the chat:
