Harare province regularises over 14 500 stands in Epworth

Source: Harare province regularises over 14 500 stands in Epworth – herald

Trust Freddy-Herald Correspondent

HARARE Metropolitan Province has achieved significant progress in its regularisation initiatives with 14 519 stands allocated in the Epworth Local Board and an additional 4 046 stands selected for regularisation under the City of Harare.

The announcement was made yesterday at the Harare Metropolitan Provincial Development Dialogue in the capital aimed at unlocking the province’s potential for national development.

In his keynote address, Harare Metropolitan Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Charles Tawengwa emphasised the province’s commitment to addressing illegal settlements.

“The province has responded to the call to action, ‘No Compromise to Service Delivery,’ where regularisation initiatives have resulted in a total of 14 519 stands being allocated in Epworth Local Board while 4 046 stands have been selected for regularisation under the City of Harare,” he said.

The regularisation programme aims to foster sustainable development and create habitable settlements.

However, Minister Tawengwa clarified that illegal structures built on areas reserved for public facilities will not be regularised.

Affected residents will be relocated to other parts of the city through densification efforts.

This is crucial as there are about 20 000 illegal houses in Chitungwiza, 60 000 in Harare and 16 000 in Epworth that have encroached on public land.

The regularisation initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance living conditions in the province which has become a significant contributor to the national economy.

Added Minister Tawengwa: “In view of the massive development currently taking place, Harare Metropolitan Province has therefore become the largest contributor to national income as of 2023 with a contribution of 23.3 percent to the national GDP.”

He said the province must take the lead in driving the national development agenda towards the success of Vision 2030.

Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet Mr Willard Manungo described Harare as the economic nerve centre of the country.

“Harare is not just a provincial capital but it’s also the nerve centre in terms of driving the economic transformation that we continue to champion as we implement the National Development Strategy 1,” he said.

Mr Manungo acknowledged the challenges faced by the province including housing pressures, informal settlements and utility delivery issues such as water, power and sanitation.

“These are realities that we need to, collectively as stakeholders, come together to try and ensure that we overcome such challenges in a coordinated inclusive manner,” he said.

Presidential Affairs and Devolution Permanent Secretary Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti highlighted the importance of tackling irregular settlements for achieving a smart city.

He pointed out that in Chitungwiza alone, approximately 20 000 illegal homes exist while Harare has close to 60 000.

“Three years ago, that number was at 56 200. If you have 60 000 illegal homes and those same people are expecting their bins to be collected even though they don’t have a house number, refuse collection is expected yet there are no roads to those places,” he said.

Addressing these challenges will require a coordinated effort from Government agencies, private sector stakeholders and civil society organisations, he said.

The provincial dialogue brought together all four local authorities in Harare Metropolitan Province, the business community and officials from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe among others.

City Parking, a subsidiary of the Harare City Council, showcased how it is leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) for smart parking solutions and combating corruption in the city.

Harare City Council’s housing director Mr Addmore Nhekairo also addressed various challenges including illegal settlements and waste collection.