Harare ranked again among worst cities to live in worldwide

Samson Muchirahondo

Zimbabwe’s once prestigious city of sunshine, Harare which was ranked number eight among the least livable cities worldwide has now risen to being the sixth worst city ever.

The latest rankings were revealed through, Economist Intelligence Unit annual global survey.

Harare is ranked number six, five positions ahead of Damascus in Syria, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Lagos in Nigeria, Karachi in Pakistan, Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea respectively.

Tripoli in Libya, Douala in Cameroon, Algiers in Algeria and Dakar in Senegal completes the list.

The survey looks at health care, stability, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.

However, a full report is yet to be availed on the indicators, however the recent killings of at least six civilians by the military after the July 30 harmonised elections might have also contributed to the rise.

As of last year the Economist Intelligence Unit said the threat of civil unrest, poor health care services and sketchy, overcrowded public transport were also serious drawbacks to life in the Zimbabwean capital.

The London-based Economist Intelligence Unit rated Harare the worst of 140 cities worldwide in which to live, drawing scorn from officials in Zimbabwe’s capital.

Researchers had excluded cities in war zones in Libya, Iraq and elsewhere.

The report said Harare’s chronic water power outages contributed to a mere 38 percent “livability rating” in the study.

The Economist Intelligence Unit said the threat of civil unrest, poor health care services and sketchy, overcrowded public transport were also serious drawbacks to life in Harare. The group said phone and internet services in Harare are sub-standard as well.

The EIU rating predicted continuing “bleak prospects” for the Harare population of nearly two million people. It said quality housing was available only to the wealthy, and although quality private education is available it is costly and drains teaching talent from public schools.