Local Government and Harare City Council should have a human based approach dealing with problems.

ZBC should not take the people of Zimbabwe for granted. On Tuesday ZTV reported that JOC and Local Govt officials were inspecting the new Kombi Sites. We even saw a delegation on TV and Chideme was the only council official on site who actually announced the operation. The Mayor and Town Clerk were not interviewed. We could smell a rat on the whole operation. Now that everything has gone wrong, the blame now lies with Council. July Moyo you are turning into another Chombo or Kasukuwere. This clearly shows that ZANU pf will never change. Zbc should know that we no longer need their propaganda. We now have more reliable sources and everyone knows that ZBC is just a ZANU PF mouth piece.

ZRP used to take bribes from people and now in frustration they are taking people's lives. The law enforcement agents who are supposed to be the custodians of the Supreme law of the land have violated the sacrosanct right to life by intentionally opening fire on unsuspecting commuters in Harare. Those who have done this dastard act should be brought to book if the rule of law still exists in Zimbabwe. The government of day must also compensate the families of those who have been slain by the frustrated and now trigger happy.

I support the move to decongest the CBD though the way it was done was haphazard and showed lack of planning, strategy and engagement with all values stakeholders. City council needs to build new termini at the new designated places and ensure that shuttle services are available to the commuting citizens of Zimbabwe.

Unfortunately this move also comes when there is a deep liquidity crunch and cash crisis with most families surviving on less than 0.35 c per day. It is not sustainable for one to use a dollar on one way transport. The issue is crosscutting on various aspects of social justice and is a violation of human rights. Proper frameworks should be in place before implementing such moves.

A wise council would use the kombis ranking fees (they already pay) and pass on the ranking fees to ZUPCO to run the shuttles between ranks and city center. With this setup, at copacabana we should see only ZUPCO buses lined up in an orderly fashion. People get on and off for free inside the city because ZUPCO will be paid from from ranking fees by city council.

An even more organised and advanced thinking city council would put a PPP together and build a tramline (those small trains you find on the roads) from Seke rd to Copacabana and from 4th st to Market Square which will be paid by parking and ranking fees.

Harare CBD cannot expand sideways coz there is no space  anywhere so the only way to go is up.

Copacabana and fourth street can still be ranks but have to be built going up like the famous MTN Rank and Bree Street in SA. That way they remove congestion in streets and still have people being dropped off in city centre.

In conclusion let me remind the Ministry of Local Government and Harare City Council that their existence is primarily based on serving the people.

Linda Tsungirirai Masarira
Aspiring MP Harare Central
Independent Candidate