Harare- Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST) has enlisted the services of legal attorneys to challenge government’s controversial directive to coerce mayors to attend a three day training seminar on “Zanu PF ideology” at the highly partisan Chitepo School of Ideology.
Local government and public works, director, Khonzani Ncube, in a letter invited mayors and chairpersons to attend the training which has been set for Rainbow Towers from 21 to 23 August 2024.
Ncube citing Section 5 of the Constitution said local authorities as “third tier of government” were obligated to attend the Hebert School of Ideology training he referred to as the ideals of “national security and patriotism.”
“It is pertinent for Local Authorities to be exposed to the ideals of national security and patriotism as espoused by the Chitepo School of Ideology,” wrote Ncube.
Government’s directive has however, touched a raw nerve among some sections of the local governance system which are headed by opposition party mayors.
CHITREST through it’s legal attorneys challenged the directive arguing it was a violation of the Constitution.
“Our client finds that the above training offends several provisions of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and amounts to a grave violation of the constitutional rights to impartial and non-partisan administrative conduct and the freedom of assembly and association.
“The Permanent Secretary, as an employee of the government cannot convene and fund a training/meeting on behalf of a political party.
“This is contrary to the principles of impartiality and non-partisanship expected of members of the Civil Service as espoused under 200 (3)(a)(b) of the Constitution, wrote CHITREST’s lawyers wrote to Ncube.
“As such, the conduct of convening a meeting on behalf of a political party infringes on the right to non-partisan and impartial administrative conduct.
“Section 68(1) of the Constitution states that ‘every person has a right to administrative conduct that is lawful, prompt, efficient, reasonable, proportionate, impartial and both substantively and procedurally fair,” added the letter from CHITREST’s lawyers.
CHITREST’s lawyers argued the conduct also offends provisions of the Constitution governing the conduct of civil servants stating that they must be impartial and non-partisan in the discharge of their duties.
“By demanding the presence of all mayors and chairpersons at the training, the Secretaries’ conduct offends the constitutional right of freedom of association and assembly under section 58(2) of the Constitution.
“It is our client’s understanding that councils are currently constituted by leadership from different political parties.
“The contents of the letter are tantamount to forcing members, especially of different political parties to attend an event that furthers the ideology of a single political party, Zanu PF at the exclusion of others.
“Section 58(2) of the Constitution states that “No person may be compelled to belong to an association or to attend a meeting or gathering,”
CHITREST through its lawyers demanded the revocation of the directive and the cancellation of the planned training.
