Chitungwiza Residents Demand Stop To Mayors' Chitepo School Of Ideology Training
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has written to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, urging it to cancel the basic orientation training for Mayors and Chairpersons scheduled for August 21 to 23, 2024.
ZLHR lawyer Harrison Nkomo, representing the Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST), wrote to the Ministry on Tuesday to verify the authenticity of a letter dated August 16 and signed by K. Ncube on behalf of the permanent secretary.
In the letter, CHITREST argued that this basic orientation training constitutes a serious violation of constitutional rights, including the rights to impartial and non-partisan administrative conduct, as well as freedom of assembly and association. A Statement issued by ZLHR on Tuesday reads:
On behalf of Chitungwiza Residents Trust, we have asked the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to cease and desist from holding a so-called basic orientation training for Mayors and Chairpersons of local authorities scheduled to run for 2 days in Harare, which critics label as an indoctrination exercise.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works had on 16 August wrote an invitation letter to all Mayors and Chairpersons of all local authorities across the country inviting them to attend a two-day basic orientation training to be facilitated by the Chitepo School of Ideology, which is a ruling ZANU PF political party affiliated institution, in Harare from Wednesday 21 August 2024 to 23 August 2024.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works had justified the so-called basic orientation training as necessary to expose Mayors and Chairpersons of local authorities to the ideals of national security and patriotism as espoused by the Chitepo School of Ideology.
This incensed CHITREST, which on Tuesday wrote a letter to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works seeking to confirm the authenticity of the letter and whether it had originated from the ministry.
In the letter written by Harrison Nkomo of the ZLHR to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and the Chitepo School of Ideology, CHITREST demanded that the two institutions should cease and desist from conducting the so-called basic orientation training.
CHITREST protested that the planned so-called basic orientation training offends several provisions of the Constitution and amounts to a grave violation of constitutional rights to impartial and non-partisan administrative conduct and the freedom of assembly and association.
The residents association said the contents of the invitation letter from Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to all Mayors and Chairpersons of local authorities were contrary to the spirit of the Constitution in several respects.
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