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OpenChamisa Denies Involvement In Harare City Council Corrupt Land Deals
Former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has denied any involvement in the corruption scandal at the Harare City Council.
Chamisa appeared before the Commission of Inquiry on Monday, which has been investigating the operations of the City Council since 2017.
He was summoned to testify after CCC councillor Blessing Duma alleged that Chamisa had instructed the City to fast-track the regularisation of settlements in Harare.
However, responding to evidence from leader Tabani Mpofu, Chamisa vehemently denied the allegations, accusing councillors of neglecting their responsibilities once they are elected into office. He said:
Well, I am not aware of that process, but what I am aware of is that there is a lot of tomfoolery and shenanigans within the context of local authorities.
In fact, what bleeds my heart is the fact that each time councillors are elected on a party ticket the moment they go into council, they go bonkers, run amok, throw away all dictates of reason, throw away all dictates of allegiance and loyalty to the party, which I can’t understand.
Chamisa also condemned the Harare City Council’s controversial and indiscriminate demolition of houses, which has become a frequent occurrence. He said:
What I am aware of, though, is that people’s houses were being destroyed and I had difficulties appreciating and understanding why a whole council would destroy people’s houses when they, in the first instance, had allowed people to construct those houses.
I take umbrage and great exception to people who then choose to undermine the rights of others in terms of the Constitution.
Naturally, I would have issues with any kind of disposition where people’s houses are destroyed. But as regards processes within the council, I am not a councillor, not a mayor, not even a council official.
In terms of the Urban Councils Act, there is no way individual citizens can actually have authority over the processes of council.
Because the council is a creature of statutes and council is a product of the law. Anything that happens within the council is governed by statutes, laws and procedures within that council.
Chamisa also said he has no control over the councillors and urged the Commission to hold accountable all those who have acted inappropriately. He said:
We are governed by the electorate. We are governed by the statutes. We are governed by the Urban Councils Act and on that score, then it becomes very difficult to bring to account, especially our councillors.
I just hope that the commission will appreciate that delinquent characters must, you know, account for their delinquency and name-throwing. There are many people who rape in the name of leaders.
Chamisa rejected the claims made by Duma, saying he did not even know who Duma was. He said:
I would never address a few people like a few councillors that have been mentioned. If I were to address, I would address maybe the entirety of the people.
I am sure the commission within the realm of due diligence was to adduce evidence from him where I say that. Either, voice or written or whatever, because there is always evidence that is supposed to back a claim.
It is another point I have been asked. If you were to show me I would not know him. I have over 2 000 councillors.
If I were to see him I would not know him. There are 2 000 councillors who were under the CCC ticket. I don’t know who is who. I would not know. There’s no reason for me to even address an individual councillor on any matter.
The Commission was appointed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in May to investigate the financial management systems of the Harare City Council and assess its compliance with the Public Finance Management Act.
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