By Derrick L. Coley
June 23, 2003

Harare, Zimbabwe Executive Mayor Elias Mudzuri discussed challenges facing democratization of Zimbabwe's election system and local governments and pointed out how they are impeding economic development.

Mudzuri was elected to a four-year term as Mayor of Harare, a city of 1.8 million, in March 2002. Trained in Sierre Leone as a civil engineer, the mayor is a Fellow of the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers. Before becoming mayor, he had worked in local government for fourteen years.

Mudzuri is a member of the Movement for Democratic Change, the opposition party to that of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe. His election as mayor came about after Harare's citizens sued the national government for autonomous elections, required by the nation's constitution but never held. From 1999 forward, President Mugabe had appointed ministers of the national government to run local government in Harare, which was illegal under the constitution.

On January 11, 2003, Mudzuri was assaulted and arrested by the national police while meeting with residents in his city. More than 20 city officials and residents were held at that time.

At the end of April 2003, the national government suspended Mudzuri from his position as Executive Mayor without pay, and locked him out of his office. At that time he had already accepted the Conference of Mayor's invitation to come to Denver for the International Conference of Mayors.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) local government officer in Harare called the Conference of Mayors to inform the staff of the situation. The AID officer said that the U.S. Government felt very strongly that the Mayor is a major force for democracy in the nation and said that it would provide support for his trip to the United States.

He thus appeared before the Second International Conference of Mayors and 71st Annual Conference of Mayors as a mayor democratically elected by his citizens under due process of the Zimbabwe Constitution but suspended from office. He discussed his removal from office and suspension of pay on allegations of misconduct. Currently, among other shows of support for his reinstatement, the Combined Harare Residents Association, made up of thirty-nine resident organizations, is collecting signatures on his behalf.

Mudzuri has been held in house arrest, beaten and harassed while trying to bring democratic reforms to Harare and greater Zimbabwe. As Eliah Tafangombe, Team Leader in Local Governance for U.S. A.I.D. in Zimbabwe said, "The places where democratization is occurring is in the cities of Zimbabwe, and Mayor Mudzuri has been a force for positive change."

Mudzuri stated, "History will never forgive the world for not helping Zimbabwe in its hour of need. In Harare, a number of people have been beaten for demonstrating against the government for lack of transportation, fuel, food, water, jobs, and money in the banks." He added that "People in hospitals from beatings are being abducted by government militia and their whereabouts in many instances are unknown."

In terms of the economic crisis, he said that, "inflation is at 249 percent. Unemployment is at 80 percent. Industries literally are closed."

International investment has left the country because of the current political crisis caused by the refusal of President Mugabe to hold open elections. More importantly, the current policy concerning land reallocation has hurt the national economy, disrupting agricultural production, creating a loss of export commodities.

Agricultural production has traditionally been a part of Zimbabwe's economic engine; however, current disruptions in farming and the loss of foreign investment in industry have affected both the rural and urban economy. "Sustainable development cannot be attained unless change results in true democratic reforms and open elections."

Over the past three years more than three million people have left Zimbabwe with over one million in London and another million in South Africa.

Mudzuri observed that "Harare is a very beautiful city, but no one wants to invest in Harare unless the political climate changes. The national government interferes and impedes local government, and citizens live in a police state. The rise of the opposition party to President Mugabe, with demands for open elections, has caused the national government to constantly wrest control from the local urban councils and mayors.

Mudzuri noted that, "When local governments need supplies, they have no authority to borrow the money needed to purchase those supplies. They must go to the national government for permission."

"The people of Harare want change, and that change must come in the form of democratic changes. I appeal to you that anyone willing to help can assist. We must have democratic change in order for mayors in Zimbabwe, who are elected, to be able to fulfill their mandates," the mayor said.

Mudzuri appealed for help from the world: "History will never forgive us if we say that Zimbabwe must solve its own problems."