The heart-wrenching scenes of demolitions in Harare's Ridgeview and Belvedere areas last week paint a haunting picture of Zimbabwe's seemingly intractable urban housing crisis.
It represents a crisis that has brought to the surface the morphed into human suffering, administrative failure, environmental degradation and moral bankruptcy. As bulldozers reduced to rubble what represented years of savings and dreams for dozens of families, the demolitions have reignited a fierce debate about urban planning, social justice and the fundamental right to shelter in a nation struggling to fulfil its promise of leaving no one behind.
These latest demolitions, occurring against the backdrop of Zimbabwe's ambitious National Development Strategy 1 and its vision of achieving middle-income status by 2030, expose the glaring contradictions between lofty national goals and the harsh realities faced by ordinary citizens.
The current crisis reveals a deeply entrenched system of exploitation where vulnerable citizens find themselves caught up in a devastating cycle of desperation, manipulation and loss.
At the heart of this crisis lies a sophisticated network of land barons who have mastered the art of exploiting regulatory gaps and administrative weaknesses. These operators, described by city officials as repeat offenders who are "out on bail," have created a parallel land administration system that preys on the desperate need for housing among urban residents.
The City of Harare's revelation that these land barons have previously been arrested yet continue to operate with impunity points to a more profound failure of the justice system and raises serious questions about potential collusion between these criminals and those in positions of authority.
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The brazen nature of their operations, where they encourage rebuilding on contested land even after initial demolitions, suggests a level of confidence that can only be a result of systemic corruption or political protection.
The environmental consequences of this unregulated urban expansion have reached critical levels, as evidenced by the alarming situation at Lake Chivero, one of Zimbabwe's seven Ramsar-designated sites.
The unauthorised parcelling out of land near this crucial water body, with stands being sold for "US$12 per square metre," as reported, represents not just an environmental crisis but a direct threat to Harare's water security.
Selestino Chari of the Harare Wetlands Trust's urgent call for intervention underscores the severity of the situation: "What we need is a management plan for the whole area and all developments should stop with immediate effect." The Environmental Management Agency's stark statistics revealing that "82% of the country's wetlands are moderately to severely degraded" and that "Harare has lost 50% of its wetlands over the last two decades" paint a picture of environmental catastrophe that threatens to undermine any progress towards sustainable urban development.
The response from city authorities has often appeared tone-deaf to the human cost of these demolitions. When Harare mayor Jacob Mafume dismissively asks, "How do you regularise an illegal purchase? Where someone takes council land, sales it to people?" he fails to acknowledge the complex socio-economic factors that drive citizens to seek housing through irregular channels.
Similarly, while Harare's director of planning, Samuel Nyabeza's assertion that "You cannot build a house without council-approved plans" is technically correct, it overlooks the bureaucratic hurdles, corruption and prohibitive costs that make formal housing acquisition an impossibility for many citizens.
His statement that "We have to restore order" rings hollow when the very system meant to maintain order has failed to provide viable housing alternatives for the majority of urban residents.
The current crisis stands in stark violation of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 1 on No Poverty and SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities.
The situation also makes a mockery of Zimbabwe's national mantra of "nyika inovakwa nevene vayo" (the country is built by its owners), as legitimate attempts by citizens to build homes are met with destruction rather than support.
The demolitions particularly undermine the government's stated commitment to leaving no one behind, as they disproportionately affect the most vulnerable members of society who have invested their life savings in what they believed would be their homes.
As highlighted in recent parliamentary discussions, National Assembly Speaker Jacob Mudenda's call for "sound budgeting" and "sustainable fiscal practices" seems disconnected from the reality on the ground, where basic housing needs remain unmet.
The solution to this crisis requires a robust approach. There must be a comprehensive audit of available urban land and existing settlements, as suggested by Chari, who advocates for environmental compliance assessments.
Further to that, local authorities need to streamline their approval processes while maintaining necessary standards. The current system's inefficiencies create opportunities for corruption and irregular settlements. A sustainable solution must also include affordable housing schemes that are accessible to low-income earners.
The city needs to establish a transparent land allocation system that prioritises genuine homeseekers over speculators and land barons. This should be coupled with strict enforcement against corrupt officials and land barons who exploit the system.