200 houses in Harare face demolition

Two hundred houses and properties, including two opulent mansions near the National Heroes Acre, were illegally built on land reserved for the Harare Drive expansion project and now face demolition, The Herald can exclusively reveal.

Harare City Council has vowed to demolish all illegally constructed structures, emphasizing that Harare Drive was designed as a circular route around the city with no alterations to its original plan. However, the Constitutional Court recently ruled that demolitions without a court order are unconstitutional, presenting a legal challenge to local authorities.

The expansion of Harare Drive, intended to ease congestion and provide an alternative route, has been hindered by land barons and corrupt council officials who illegally allocated residential stands on the reserved land.

An investigation by The Herald uncovered multiple properties encroaching on the road's designated reserve, threatening its intended purpose. According to the original 1998 engineering designs, the missing links of Harare Drive are meant to connect key areas, including Solomon Mujuru Drive at Warren Hills to Gleneagles Road in Southerton, Houghton Park through Mainway Meadows, Retreat to Seke Road, and then to Twentydales Road in Hatfield to Mutare Road in Msasa.

A week-long fact-finding mission revealed widespread encroachment, particularly in Waterfalls and Retreat suburbs, where more than 100 houses have been built on the Harare Drive reserve. In Waterfalls' Mainway Meadows, some residents acknowledged the future road path, leaving a 60-meter-wide corridor free of development. However, in Retreat, construction continues unchecked, with land barons allegedly selling stands on land designated for the road.

Residents expressed confusion and concern over their homes' legal status. One Retreat resident, upon seeing city planners surveying the area, asked nervously, "Do you want to demolish our houses?" Others admitted awareness of the road project but were led to believe their properties would be regularized.

Another resident, hesitant to continue building, stated, "I am now confused. We were told Harare Drive was supposed to pass through here, so I halted my plans."

The Church of Grace Ministries in Retreat was also built on the planned road path, though church leader Minister Oliver Makoni denied any wrongdoing. "We have all the required papers from the city council. We even pay rates," he said. He insisted that residents' welfare should take priority over a road project.

Further investigations revealed that many Retreat residents have lived in the area for over 10 years, despite being informed about the Harare Drive expansion plans.

Harare City acting director of urban planning, Mr. Samuel Nyabezi, confirmed that numerous homes in Retreat have encroached on the road reserve. He revealed that two large mansions near the National Heroes Acre also fall within the road's path and will be demolished. "I have told the owners that there will be no negotiations; the houses will be demolished," he said.

Nyabezi blamed land barons for misleading homeowners, stating that no legitimate city plans approved construction in the affected areas.

Harare Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume reiterated the city's commitment to demolishing illegal structures. "We will demolish all those illegal structures. You cannot build on land reserved for a road," he said. He suggested that only government intervention could prevent demolitions.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) is investigating corrupt officials involved in illegal land allocations. ZACC Chairperson Mr. Michael Reza stated, "We will allow the commission to complete its report and submit it to His Excellency, after which we will be guided on the way forward."

As tensions rise, residents, officials, and the city council remain locked in dispute over Harare Drive's expansion and the fate of homes built in its planned route.