SOME residents 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 two days in Harare, which critics label as an indoctrination exercise.
The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works had on 16 August 2024 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 Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST), which on Tuesday 20 August 2024 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 Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights 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 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.
CHITREST argued that the Permanent Secretary as an employee of government cannot convene and fund a training or meeting on behalf of a political party as this is contrary to the principles of impartiality and non-partisanship expected of members of the Civil Service as espoused under section 200(3)(a)(b) of the Constitution.
The conduct of convening a meeting on behalf of a political party, CHITREST said, infringes on the right to non-partisan and impartial administrative conduct.
CHITREST said the so-called basic orientation training is a tool to further the political objectives of ZANU PF political party through the office established for civil service and employees of government, who according to provisions of the Constitution, should be impartial and be non-partisan in the discharge of their duties.
The residents association said demanding the presence of all Mayors and Chairpersons at the training offends the constitutional right to freedom of association and assembly guaranteed under section 58(2) of the Constitution.
CHITREST charged that since local authorities are currently constituted by leadership from different political parties, the contents of the invitation letter are tantamount to forcing members, especially of different political parties to attend an event that furthers the ideology of a single political party, which is the ruling ZANU PF, at the exclusion of others.
The residents association said it will weigh its options to commence legal processes against the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and Chitepo School of Ideology to stop the two institutions from proceeding with the so-called basic orientation training.
ENDS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
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