Opinion / Columnist
What happened to Chiwenga's Mbare flats with swimming pools?
5 hrs ago | Views
A few days ago, High Court judge Justice Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa issued a landmark ruling ordering the City of Harare and the Government of Zimbabwe to refurbish the dilapidated Mbare flats without delay.
This judgment brought a sense of relief and hope to residents who have endured years of living in deplorable conditions under circumstances that have been described as "squalid and intolerable."
These flats, initially constructed during the colonial era to house single male workers, have degenerated into ramshackle structures that pose a serious danger to both the occupants and the broader community.
The ruling by Justice Munangati-Manongwa was not only a vindication of the residents' rights but also a resounding rebuke to the authorities who have long neglected their duties.
However, as I read through the judgment, I was reminded of a promise made by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga during the 2018 election campaign.
Chiwenga assured the people of Mbare that these flats would not merely be renovated but completely demolished and replaced with modern housing units.
These new flats, he boldly declared, would include swimming pools and other modern amenities.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Chiwenga even went as far as to suggest that the transformation of Mbare would be so remarkable that people who had moved to affluent suburbs like Borrowdale and Mount Pleasant would feel compelled to return.
"Mbare will be the first place that we are going to develop in Harare," he said.
Yet, six years later, this ambitious vision remains nothing more than a distant memory, with no evidence of the promised developments.
Instead of fulfilling their promises, both the local authority and the central government have left the residents of Mbare with no choice but to resort to legal action.
The High Court ruling underscores the failure of these authorities to uphold their responsibilities, forcing the judiciary to intervene to protect the basic dignity and rights of citizens.
While the City of Harare must be held accountable for its failure to maintain and renovate these flats, the ZANU-PF government, particularly Vice President Chiwenga, cannot escape blame.
By making grandiose promises to the people of Mbare, the ruling party assumed moral and political responsibility for improving their living conditions.
The reality, however, is that these promises were nothing more than empty rhetoric designed to secure votes.
After winning the 2018 elections, ZANU-PF quickly abandoned its commitments, leaving Mbare residents to languish in the same dilapidated structures.
This blatant disregard for the welfare of citizens is emblematic of a broader culture of dishonesty in Zimbabwean politics, where lying has become normalized as an acceptable tactic.
The consequences of such deception are profound and deeply troubling.
When politicians make promises, they raise the hopes and expectations of real people with real lives.
For the residents of Mbare, Chiwenga's promises represented a genuine opportunity to escape the misery of their cramped and hazardous living conditions.
The betrayal of these promises is not just a political failure but a moral one, reflecting a disturbing lack of empathy and accountability.
This pattern of broken promises is not unique to Mbare.
It is a recurring theme in ZANU-PF's governance.
During the same 2018 elections, President Emmerson Mnangagwa pledged to end Zimbabwe's chronic electricity shortages.
Yet, six years later, the power crisis has worsened, with an unprecedented increase in the frequency of national blackouts and prolonged loadshedding lasting days at a time, disrupting daily life and economic activities.
Despite these failures, the government continues to make unrealistic promises.
Recently, ZESA Executive Chairman Sydney Gata claimed that the country faces a power shortfall of only 600 MW, a figure that defies the lived reality of ordinary Zimbabweans.
Gata's assessment relies on outdated and unreliable equipment, such as the colonial-era units 1 to 6 at Hwange Thermal Power Station, which frequently break down.
Ignoring these limitations creates a distorted picture of the country's true energy deficit.
Moreover, the increasing impact of climate change on water levels at Kariba Hydroelectric Power Station renders it an unreliable source of energy.
The government's failure to invest in sustainable energy solutions only exacerbates the crisis, leaving citizens to bear the brunt of its incompetence.
The 2018 elections were also marked by promises to end poverty and unemployment, attract significant investment, and improve critical sectors such as education and health.
Yet, these sectors remain in a state of disarray.
Zimbabwe's poverty rate has soared, with over 49% of the population now living in what the United Nations describes as extreme poverty, earning less than $2.50 day.
Unemployment remains staggeringly high, and public services are in a state of collapse.
Hospitals lack basic supplies, schools are underfunded, and the quality of education continues to decline.
This persistent failure to deliver on promises underscores the need for greater accountability in Zimbabwean politics.
Citizens must demand that their leaders honour their commitments and address the issues that affect their daily lives.
The residents of Mbare have set an important precedent by taking their grievances to court.
This spirit of activism must be emulated by other groups, from underpaid civil servants to urban dwellers deprived of essential services, such as potable water and electricity.
Change will not come from empty promises or hollow rhetoric.
It will come from a collective effort to hold the government accountable and to demand a better future.
The people of Zimbabwe deserve leaders who prioritize their welfare over political expediency.
Until that happens, the story of Chiwenga's Mbare flats will remain a symbol of unfulfilled promises and squandered opportunities.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
This judgment brought a sense of relief and hope to residents who have endured years of living in deplorable conditions under circumstances that have been described as "squalid and intolerable."
These flats, initially constructed during the colonial era to house single male workers, have degenerated into ramshackle structures that pose a serious danger to both the occupants and the broader community.
The ruling by Justice Munangati-Manongwa was not only a vindication of the residents' rights but also a resounding rebuke to the authorities who have long neglected their duties.
However, as I read through the judgment, I was reminded of a promise made by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga during the 2018 election campaign.
Chiwenga assured the people of Mbare that these flats would not merely be renovated but completely demolished and replaced with modern housing units.
These new flats, he boldly declared, would include swimming pools and other modern amenities.
To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08
Chiwenga even went as far as to suggest that the transformation of Mbare would be so remarkable that people who had moved to affluent suburbs like Borrowdale and Mount Pleasant would feel compelled to return.
"Mbare will be the first place that we are going to develop in Harare," he said.
Yet, six years later, this ambitious vision remains nothing more than a distant memory, with no evidence of the promised developments.
Instead of fulfilling their promises, both the local authority and the central government have left the residents of Mbare with no choice but to resort to legal action.
The High Court ruling underscores the failure of these authorities to uphold their responsibilities, forcing the judiciary to intervene to protect the basic dignity and rights of citizens.
While the City of Harare must be held accountable for its failure to maintain and renovate these flats, the ZANU-PF government, particularly Vice President Chiwenga, cannot escape blame.
By making grandiose promises to the people of Mbare, the ruling party assumed moral and political responsibility for improving their living conditions.
The reality, however, is that these promises were nothing more than empty rhetoric designed to secure votes.
After winning the 2018 elections, ZANU-PF quickly abandoned its commitments, leaving Mbare residents to languish in the same dilapidated structures.
This blatant disregard for the welfare of citizens is emblematic of a broader culture of dishonesty in Zimbabwean politics, where lying has become normalized as an acceptable tactic.
The consequences of such deception are profound and deeply troubling.
When politicians make promises, they raise the hopes and expectations of real people with real lives.
For the residents of Mbare, Chiwenga's promises represented a genuine opportunity to escape the misery of their cramped and hazardous living conditions.
The betrayal of these promises is not just a political failure but a moral one, reflecting a disturbing lack of empathy and accountability.
This pattern of broken promises is not unique to Mbare.
During the same 2018 elections, President Emmerson Mnangagwa pledged to end Zimbabwe's chronic electricity shortages.
Yet, six years later, the power crisis has worsened, with an unprecedented increase in the frequency of national blackouts and prolonged loadshedding lasting days at a time, disrupting daily life and economic activities.
Despite these failures, the government continues to make unrealistic promises.
Recently, ZESA Executive Chairman Sydney Gata claimed that the country faces a power shortfall of only 600 MW, a figure that defies the lived reality of ordinary Zimbabweans.
Gata's assessment relies on outdated and unreliable equipment, such as the colonial-era units 1 to 6 at Hwange Thermal Power Station, which frequently break down.
Ignoring these limitations creates a distorted picture of the country's true energy deficit.
Moreover, the increasing impact of climate change on water levels at Kariba Hydroelectric Power Station renders it an unreliable source of energy.
The government's failure to invest in sustainable energy solutions only exacerbates the crisis, leaving citizens to bear the brunt of its incompetence.
The 2018 elections were also marked by promises to end poverty and unemployment, attract significant investment, and improve critical sectors such as education and health.
Yet, these sectors remain in a state of disarray.
Zimbabwe's poverty rate has soared, with over 49% of the population now living in what the United Nations describes as extreme poverty, earning less than $2.50 day.
Unemployment remains staggeringly high, and public services are in a state of collapse.
Hospitals lack basic supplies, schools are underfunded, and the quality of education continues to decline.
This persistent failure to deliver on promises underscores the need for greater accountability in Zimbabwean politics.
Citizens must demand that their leaders honour their commitments and address the issues that affect their daily lives.
The residents of Mbare have set an important precedent by taking their grievances to court.
This spirit of activism must be emulated by other groups, from underpaid civil servants to urban dwellers deprived of essential services, such as potable water and electricity.
Change will not come from empty promises or hollow rhetoric.
It will come from a collective effort to hold the government accountable and to demand a better future.
The people of Zimbabwe deserve leaders who prioritize their welfare over political expediency.
Until that happens, the story of Chiwenga's Mbare flats will remain a symbol of unfulfilled promises and squandered opportunities.
© Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
Source - Tendai Ruben Mbofana
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