Is Bura losing relevance or is it buckling under the weight of politics?

Allan Foti, Features Correspondent
THE Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) was formed in 1964 to represent the interests of Bulawayo’s black majority under white minority rule in the then Southern Rhodesia.

When Bura was formed in 1964 at the iconic Stanley Hall in Makokoba, among its founding fathers were liberation icons such as the late national hero Cde Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu as the founding chairman deputised by other icons and national heroes Cdes Sydney Donald Malunga and John Landa Nkomo. Cde Nkomo went to serve in the Zimbabwean Government in various portfolios before rising to becoming State Vice-President.

During its lifetime, Bura has been instrumental in influencing policy in successive city councils in Bulawayo both pre and post-independence. In days gone by, Bura was a respected watchdog for citizen rights in Bulawayo, making it a fearsome foe for the local municipality and Government on all matters pertinent to the citizens of Bulawayo.

However, today it is but a pale shadow of its former self, relying more on past glory than useful contributions to its community.

Today the organisation is led by Mr Winos Dube who has been at the helm for the last 10 years having served as its vice-chairman from 2003. However, many locals feel that it has run out of steam as evidenced by the organisation’s lack of policy changing influence and now seems to be playing second fiddle to relative upstart, the Bulawayo Progressive Residents’ Association (BPRA).

While fighting a the similar cause premised on community development and service delivery, Bura has been slowly usurped of its influence and numbers by BPRA that now command a larger section of the city’s residents.

BPRA appears to be more organised and has proper structures in all of the city’s wards while Bura structures are now a cause for concern and now appears to be a one-man show with Mr Dube the sole guest at the party.

For many in Bulawayo, this is an opportune time to change the leadership at Bura and allow it to remain relevant to the younger citizenry of Bulawayo. Presently, with its current leadership, Bura is struggling to attract membership from Bulawayo residents.

Residents interviewed said they had stopped taking their issues to Bura because the organisation has become redundant and was no longer able to fully service their needs. They said the Bura leadership appeared to have lost its desire to work for the people and fight for their rights saying they now seem content with holding office and going through the motions of their mandate.

“I used to be a regular at Bura public meetings. I used to believe in them and what they stood for. But today they don’t seem to care about the people. The leadership ngathi ayisakuthandi ukuba kuBura (the leadership acts like it doesn’t like being in Bura anymore),” said one resident from Magwegwe North, Mr Albert Tshuma (79).

Mr Tshuma said Bura chairman Mr Dube had lost some of his zeal and was no longer able to command the same respect that he and the organisation used to command.

Another Bulawayo resident, Mrs Anna Phiri (83) from Lobengula West said it was disappointing that an organisation that had its roots in the country’s fight against white minority settlers has become a “toothless dog”. She said she remembered the old days when Bura spoke and everyone listened.

“Kudala iBura yayisithi ingakhuluma abantu balalele. Khathesi ngathi yinja engela mazinyo. Iyakhonkota kodwa ayilumi. (In the old days when Bura spoke out people listened, but today it’s like a toothless dog. It will bark but it won’t bite),” said Mrs Phiri.

Other residents said they had now found the rival BPRA more relevant and tuned in to their problems than Bura. They said BPRA seemed to understand their needs more than Bura does.

In response, Mr Dube still strongly believes that Bura is still a functional part of the Bulawayo community and is still relevant in its pursuance of its aims and goals. Mr Dube said Bura might appear to have lost steam of late, but this was only in areas where the older generation of Bulawayo residents reside, especially the older townships. He said these members of Bura no longer have the energy to engage in the organisations’ activities like they used to.

“We may seem to have lost relevance or appear to have lost steam, but we are still very much part of this city’s advocacy community. We are still fighting to give a voice to Bulawayo’s voiceless residents and we still fight for their basic rights like we have been doing for the last 54 years,” Mr Dube said.

Some quarters have suggested that perhaps the association is in need of a leadership renewal, an infusion of fresh blood to take over from Mr Dube and company who have admirably led Bura in the last 15 years.

Mr Dube’s management executive committee includes Mr Nkonzo Mhlanga, secretary-general, Mrs Louisa Mangisi, treasurer, Ms Ellen Musungo, and organising secretary Mr. Resistance Dube.

Bura elections are due towards the end of this year.

The organisation has 69 member associations who form the electoral college of which 52 are currently active.

The Bura constitution only gives voting rights to affiliates who are up to date with their subscriptions. It is from these affiliate residents’ associations that possible candidates are nominated and stand for office.

Another school of thought believes the two organisations’ operations and performance is premised on the political leanings where Bura with its liberation war history and fight for injustices perpetrated and perpetuated by the white regime against blacks has failed to metamorphose quickly, choosing to remain vindictive.

The belief is therefore that Bura stands for the old order while BPRA was a child of the country’s new movement that seeks to advance the interests of MDC which has been in charge of the city’s affairs for the past decade that Bura was waning in relevance and membership.

Those that belong to the political leaning theory suggest that the two organisations should instead complement each other and close the existing water and oil relationship and push the interests of the city and the country at large. -@AllanFoti