Angry Chamisa speaks out

KUDAKWASHE CHIBVURI

Former opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa has angrily blasted elected officials in office on his party ticket saying they have gone rogue and creating cartels to loot the local authority using his name.

Chamisa appeared before the Commission of Inquiry set up by President Emmerson Mnangagwa to probe alleged financial mismanagement and corruption in the opposition-run Harare council.

The commission is chaired by retired High Court Judge Justice Maphios Cheda.

Harare has been a haven of massive looting with millions of dollars unaccounted for while dozens of officials are currently in the dock and some incarcerated for corruption and abuse of office.

Officials and councillors have been implicated in the looting and corruption.

“…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 understand,” Chamisa said.

He said he tried to bring sanity to local authorities by introducing the

Integrity and Accountability Panel which was however, resisted.

“Unfortunately, as we did that, they said, look, in terms of the law, there is no way the party can take us to account on anything because we are not governed by a party, we are governed by the electorate, we are governed by the statutes, we are governed by the urban councils,” the former Information Communication Technology Minister said.

Chamisa said his name was being abused by “dubious” characters in pursuing their corrupt acts.

“You know, my name is mentioned in different forums and I appreciate it because I occupy a position in society, though I don’t lead any political party anymore, I do appreciate that people always have views about me, views about what I say, but of course, people can always claim,” Chamisa said.

“There are people who have married in my name, there are people who have even not paid lobola in my name but that does not make me accountable or culpable for their misdeeds and misconduct,” he said.

“I just hope that the Commission will appreciate that delinquent characters must, you know, account for their delinquency. A name-throwing… there are many people who rape in the name of leaders. I’m sure if you were to ask my brother from the other side, he would say the same.

Chamisa said local authorities have become “theatre of incompetence and impunity.”

“These cancers must be rooted out. Local governance has become a theatre of incompetence and impunity. It is a crisis compounded by a small grouping that weaponizes inquiries to distract from its dire failures. It is time to hold accountable those truly responsible for this decay.”