The Combined Harare Residents Association is an umbrella organisation for Harare area citizens' associations. The total population embraced by CHRA is some 3.5 million persons, including 1.5 million in Greater Harare and 2 million in near-by population centers including Chitungwiza, Norton, and Ruwa. CHRA was originally formed to co-ordinate and assist citizens in representing their interests to the elected Council of Harare and to the Executive Branch of Government.

Beginning in 1999 and at present, CHRA has expanded its mandate to include a programme of advocacy at the level of Parliament as an institution, so that the views of the constituent association members of CHRA can be heard at a national level. In conjunction with its Parliamentary advocacy programme, CHRA has established an Advocacy Centre whose essential purpose is to ascertain and analyse ratepayer concerns germane to the deliberations of the Parliament and, then, to represent those concerns in programme of advocacy to secure Parliamentary action in the interest of the Harare area ratepayers. Since this advocacy programme is intended to reach national level concerns, CHRA works in close association with Residents' Associations from around the country, in order to combine efforts to secure beneficial Parliamentary action.