Annette*, a 78-year-old woman with disability, sits in her wheelchair on the crumbling steps of her home in the Unit G hostels at Makoni Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza.
From 1982, she has known this place to be her home, one that she has groomed a family, even when it was amid challenges that came with inadequate infrastructure.
However, she faces an imminent eviction notice that threatens to tear away her already fragile sense of stability.
Annette is one of the 64 families that are at risk of losing their homes as the Chitungwiza Municipality plans to repurpose the land for commercial development.
For many, the hostels have provided a roof over their heads, despite the dilapidated conditions.
Built in the colonial era, the abandoned hostels, which have since become a hazard to their own residents with raw sewage flowing freely all over.
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In the absence of running water and proper toilet facilities, residents are forced to defecate in buckets inside their hostels, and they later dig pits onto which they dump their human waste.
“The situation is so dire that we live in inhumane conditions, but we have no choice, because this is all we have ever known as home,” Annette said.
The poor state of ablution facilities, which prompted calls for the area to be repurposed, has not alleviated the immediate reality of these residents' reliance on the space they call home, and for Annette, it seems there is nowhere else to go.
ZimRights, a leading grassroots human rights organisation in Zimbabwe, has stepped in to advocate on behalf of these families, urging local authorities to consider a human rights-centred approach.
As part of their campaign, ZimRights has already held a meeting with the Chitungwiza Municipality, after which, the organisation wrote a letter appealing to the authority to find alternative housing solutions for these vulnerable citizens before proceeding with any evictions.
Dzikamai Bere, ZimRights’ national director, has called for urgent action to protect the constitutional rights of these families.
“Local authorities have a constitutional mandate to protect the vulnerable, as enshrined in Section 74 of the Zimbabwe Constitution, which guarantees the right to administrative justice.
“In the case of the 64 families facing eviction from Unit G hostels in Chitungwiza, it is imperative that the Chitungwiza Municipality prioritises their well-being and finds alternative accommodation before effecting the eviction,” Bere said.
In the current case of Unit G residents, the situation is particularly dire as they are some of the poorest and most vulnerable members of the community, whose lives depend on the shelter they have known for years and for ZimRights, the challenge is finding a balance between the need for development and the fundamental rights of citizens.
“As ZimRights, we emphasise that the Constitution of Zimbabwe underscores the importance of human dignity, particularly in Section 51.
‘Therefore, we urge the council and all relevant authorities, including the central government, to adopt a human rights-centric approach when making decisions that significantly impact people's livelihoods,” Bere said.
In a letter addressed to the Chitungwiza Municipality, Silas Mupeta, ZimRights Chitungwiza chairperson, expressed the organisation’s concerns and outlined the need for urgent support.
“As you may know, ZimRights is a grassroots human rights organisation dedicated to defending and promoting human rights in Zimbabwe, including the right to shelter as enshrined in Section 28 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
“This section recognises the right of every person to have access to adequate housing and to be protected from arbitrary eviction. Additionally, the Urban Councils Act emphasises the responsibility of local authorities to ensure that citizens have access to basic services, including housing,” the letter read.
Mupeta added: “During our meeting (with the Council), we agreed that the Unit G hostels are not suitable for human habitation due to the poor state of the ablution facilities. While we understand that the area has been designated for commercial use and will eventually be developed, it is crucial to address the immediate needs of those affected, particularly the elderly who are the most vulnerable in this situation.”
This is not the first time Chitungwiza Municipality has faced criticism for its handling of evictions.
Previously, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights successfully protested against the council’s planned demolitions, citing the need for court orders and compliance with Section 74 of the Constitution.
Similarly, in 2021, the High Court of Zimbabwe ordered the municipality to upgrade its water treatment plants and sewer systems. *Not her real name