A Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) official said the new Zanu PF government should put issues of service delivery first ahead of its own interests.
“As residents, we demand effective, efficient and affordable services as one of the benchmarks we will use to measure performance of the current Zanu PF government,” said the official.
“We will not hesitate to disengage at various levels of governance, should we at any time be deprived of our right to water and other rudimentary services. We shall be reviewing the performance of each service provider quarterly and releasing their respective score-cards against the Zanu PF manifesto.”
But businessman, Tafadzwa Musarara said it was “comforting” to note that Mugabe had a record of walking the talk.
He was of the view that the inaugural speech exhibited “unparalleled statesmanship” and adequately addressed the burning concerns of ordinary people, including promises to deliver on the aspirations of ordinary households.
Musarara said Mugabe was fully aware of challenges of unemployment affecting the youth, perennial shortages of agricultural inputs supply troubling the peasants, and the need for re-capitalisation of the manufacturing sector.
“There is no doubt that his stance on indigenisation won him the confidence of voters, strengthened the faith of the expecting indigenes and embarrassed the doomsayers,” he said.
Musarara said Mugabe’s reconciliatory tone towards his political rivals notably MDC-T leader, Morgan Tsvangirai and Welshman Ncube of the smaller MDC formation, showed that he was responsible for the peace that prevailed before, during and after elections.
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Another analyst, who re- quested anonymity, said Mugabe’s inauguration speech was not a departure from the past and simply proved that he was Machiavellian.
“He was not even addressing the nation, but the whole world to show that he has legitimacy and has been endorsed by Africa,” he said.
The analyst said if Mu-gabe addresses the issue of corruption and appoints competent Cabinet ministers, there was a real chance that the economy could improve, making it possible for the 89-year-old leader to leave a lasting legacy.
Mugabe at his inauguration said his new Cabinet would give priority to civil servants’ salaries, revival of industry, employment creation through indigenisation, increased electricity generation, agriculture support and infrastructure development.
