Harare master plan suffers a major setback

Harare City Council's proposed master plan has suffered a setback after residents dismissed it as incomplete, saying it ignores legacy issues such as corruption, poor service delivery and weak institutional capacity.

In 2023, President Emmerson Mnangagwa directed all 92 councils to draw up master plans by June 2024 to guide service delivery and urban development. A master plan typically spans 10 to 15 years, setting out a city's long-term vision and growth strategies.

The City of Harare missed its deadline, only bringing forward a draft in late 2024 after reportedly spending nearly US$3 million on the exercise. The municipality later invited public submissions up to October 1 this year, before sending the final draft to the Local Government ministry.

Despite Mayor Jacob Mafume's assurances that the plan was "ready for adoption," residents' groups remain unconvinced. In a letter to Local Government minister Daniel Garwe, the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) flagged what it described as "material gaps" in the draft.

CHRA said the absence of key provisions — including land asset management structures, valuation rolls and institutional capacity to implement real estate development — rendered the plan "incomplete and incomprehensive." The group urged the city to address these omissions and ensure transparency in handling objections.

Harare Residents Trust director Precious Shumba added that the council lacked the institutional strength to implement the plan. "They are far behind and have a lot of legacy issues they need to address," he said.

Harare's last master plan was launched in 1996. The new draft is supposed to guide growth up to 2045, but unless revised, residents say it risks failing to deliver meaningful change.