Cemetery to be converted into residential area in Harare

A HOUSING consortium in Harare plans to exhume undisclosed number of human remains in Budiriro to pave way for construction of more houses.

The city's is battling with a housing backlog of more than 500 000 residents.

 The firm - Goshem Housing Consortium has made its intention known through a notice and inviting anybody with objections to come forward within three months.

"Notice is hereby given that Goshem Housing Consortium has made an application to Harare City Council to undertake the removal of human remains from the remainder of Glen Eagles farm in Budiriro Township to facilitate development of residential stands"

 Any person claiming to have any objections to the approval of such an application is hereby required to lodge the same in writing within three months ...' reads the notice published today. The application is made the Cemeteries Act chapter 5:04.

Last year, Harare City Council persuaded insurance firm, Fidelity Life Assurance of Zimbabwe (FLA), to convert land bought for the construction of a cemetery into a housing project due to housing shortages in the city . FLA bought 67 hectares of land in Manresa, a location on the outskirts of Harare near Mabvuku, with the intention of setting up an up-market memorial park in a country ravaged with one of the highest mortality rates due a high HIV and Aids prevalence.

Zimbabwe's housing backlog stands at a staggering 1,2 million applicants.