Two-hundred houses and properties, including two opulent mansions on the foothills of the National Heroes Acre, were illegally constructed on land reserved for the Harare Drive expansion project and now face demolition, The Herald can exclusively reveal.
This comes as Harare City Council has vowed to demolish all illegally constructed structures, emphasising that Harare Drive was designed to form a circular route around the city, with no changes to its original plan.
Despite council’s threats, the Constitutional Court recently ruled that demolishing homes without a court order was unconstitutional, presenting a significant obstacle for local authorities.
Harare Drive is intended to alleviate congestion and provide an alternative route for many, but its expansion is being hindered by land barons and corrupt council officials who have illegally allocated residential stands on land reserved for the project.
An investigation by The Herald uncovered numerous properties encroaching on the road’s designated reserve, threatening its intended purpose.
According to the original 1998 detailed engineering designs, the missing links of the Harare Drive ring road are intended to connect key areas, including:
Solomon Mujuru Drive (formerly Kirkman Road) at Warren Hills to Gleneagles Road in Southerton, Houghton Park through Mainway Meadows, Retreat to Seke Road, 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 are built on the Harare Drive road reserve.
In Waterfalls, Mainway Meadows, a visible divide exists between areas where residents acknowledge the future path of Harare Drive, leaving a 60-metre wide corridor free of development.
But in areas like Retreat, construction continues unchecked, with land barons reportedly pegging stands on an area that had been left in anticipation of the road development.
Residents expressed confusion and concern over the status of their homes.
“Do you want to demolish our houses?” a seemingly panicky Retreat resident asked when he saw this reporter and three city planners counting houses built on Harare Drive.
“Mine is not on the road, even if you check on your GPS,” he added without being asked.
The man, who requested anonymity, acknowledged that several people were aware that their houses were on Harare Drive.
“I think everyone is aware that there must be a road, but they were hoodwinked into thinking their properties would be regularised.”
Another resident, who also requested anonymity, said the talk of Harare Drive had been ongoing, and had halted construction of her house.
“I am now confused,” she said.
“We were told that Harare Drive was supposed to pass through here, so for the meantime, I have halted plans to build my full house. Others are also saying the road will be diverted.”
A man who preferred to be identified only as Mr Tawanda, said: “The unbuilt area reserved for Harare Drive has been pegged for new houses.
“My plea to the Government is to complete the entire road to avoid confusion.”
A nicely built Church of Grace Ministries in Retreat was also constructed on the path that Harare Drive will take.
However, church leader, Minister Oliver Makoni, refuted that.
“We have never been informed by the City Council about any encroachment issues,” he said.
“We have a site plan, and our papers are in order, all the papers are at Rowan Martin. Why can’t you obtain a GPS report, they have that GPS. It can verify whether we have encroached or not”.
Minister Makoni indicated that they were “even given an account and pay rates to the City Council every month”.
“It’s nearly 10 years now, but above all the City should know that peoples’ lives are important than a road.”
A further investigation revealed that Retreat residents have been living in the area for over 10 years, with some even constructing permanent homes, even though they had been provided with accurate information regarding the planned route of Harare Drive.
Harare City acting director of urban planning, Mr Samuel Nyabezi, acknowledged the existence of many houses built on Harare Drive, particularly in the Retreat area.
“Yes, there are many houses that have been built on Harare Drive, particularly in Retreat, but at some point, those structures shall be demolished because our plan for Harare Drive road expansion is clear.”
He also told The Herald that two mansions were built on Harare Drive close to the National Heroes Acre.
“Those are two real mansions, and from our plan, it shows that all those two encroached into Harare Drive. I have told the owners that there will be no negotiations; the houses will be demolished.”
Mr Nyabezi said the homeowners are being hoodwinked by land barons to build without plans. “The city council will never approve a house to be built on land reserved for a road. These people are just getting site plans and going on to build a full house.
“At some point, those structures shall be demolished because our plan for Harare Drive road expansion is clear,” he said.
Harare mayor, Councillor Jacob Mafume, reiterated the city’s commitment to demolishing all illegal structures.
“We will demolish all those illegal structures. If you ask me to provide a solution, I will only push for demolition, because surely, you cannot build on land reserved for a road.
“It’s perhaps the government that will stop us. You cannot build on land reserved for a road,” said Clr Mafume.
This situation unfolds amid ongoing investigations by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), which has warned city officials that their days are numbered.
ZACC Chairperson Mr Michael Reza said: “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 the situation develops, residents, officials, and the city council remain at an impasse over the future of Harare Drive and the homes built on its planned route.
The Herald
