Borrowdale residents clash with church

Residents in Borrowdale have escalated their long-running dispute over church operations at Stand Number 9 Doveton Road, alleging that a fraudulent document was used to defy a High Court order barring religious activities at the property.

The dispute centres on the continued operation of the United Methodist Church at the residential address, despite a court ruling interdicting its use as a place of worship.

According to court records under case number HCH2095/24, the High Court of Zimbabwe on June 25, 2024 interdicted the church from conducting services at 9 Doveton Road, Borrowdale, pending compliance with City of Harare by-laws and planning procedures.

The order directed that church activities cease at the property until all regulatory requirements had been met.

However, residents allege that operations resumed after a letter surfaced purportedly granting clearance for the church to continue using the premises.

The matter has now been referred to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), with residents citing suspected irregularities surrounding the documentation.

The complaint names the Acting Director of Urban Planning for the City of Harare, Barbara Mugocha, alleging possible fraud linked to the letter said to have authorised continued operations.

Mugocha has reportedly denied that the signature appearing on the document is hers and described the letter as fraudulent. Senior council officials whose names also appear on the correspondence have similarly distanced themselves from it, raising further questions about its authenticity.

Residents argue that the document has been used to justify defiance of the High Court ruling.

"If the court interdicted operations, then any document authorising continued use must be scrutinised thoroughly," said one resident involved in the matter. "We want to know who produced it and under whose authority."

Borrowdale residents are being represented by Herbert Muromba of Kantor & Immerman as they pursue legal and regulatory remedies arising from the alleged non-compliance and disputed documentation.

Efforts to obtain comment from the United Methodist Church were unsuccessful at the time of publication. Calls to the church's reverend went unanswered.

The dispute adds to ongoing tensions in residential areas over the use of private properties for commercial or institutional purposes without full compliance with municipal regulations.