HARARE – The MDC Alliance says the demolition of illegal houses in Harare’s Budiriro 5 suburb on Tuesday was carried out by central government.
At least 190 homes constructed illegally on council land were knocked down by graders in driving rain. Police have arrested Harare resident Caleb Kadye on charges of corruptly parcelling out stands while representing Tembwe Housing Cooperative.
The affected families, including women and children, were left counting their losses as they sat in the open surrounded by their personal belongings. Many said they had spent thousands of dollars building homes after buying stands from the housing cooperative, which authorities now say does not own the land.
Government spokesperson Nick Mangwana had earlier warned that the government will come down heavily on illegal structures.
“Expect demolitions of illegal structures, arrests of illegal vendors, land barons, sand and water poachers, money changers, closure of unregistered businesses and closing of unlicenced shops in Harare. Lawlessness is being clamped on,” Mangwana tweeted.
The MDC Alliance, which controls most urban councils including Harare, denied it had ordered the demolitions.
“The MDC Alliance condemns the callous, disproportionate demolitions of homes that are currently being carried out by central government, in particular the minister of local government July Moyo, the provincial minister Oliver Chidawu and the provincial development co-ordinator Tafadzwa Muguti,” MDC Alliance secretary for local government Sesel Zvidzai said in a statement.
“The demolitions have resulted in people losing their homes, savings and their only available shelter in the middle of the rainy season. Families with young children, the old and the infirm have been rendered homeless by this heartless act.”
Harare mayor Jacob Mafume ordered the demolitions stopped two weeks ago, before he was arrested accused of land corruption.
“He protested against the grossly unreasonable timing of the demolitions and in view of the wet season and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. He stated that the execution of any court orders held by council should be carried out in a humane manner and that council should weigh in favour of regularising settlements as opposed to destroying them,” Zvidzai said.
“We are of the firm view that most of the houses being destroyed can be regularised and should therefore not be destroyed.”
At the centre of the problem are Zanu PF land barons and illegal co-operatives whose conduct has led to the arbitrary allocation of land in breach of council by-laws.
Said Zvidzai: “The current demolitions have been triggered by Zanu PF in-fighting where urban land is being used as an election tool as well as a sword against those who have fallen out of favour with the system. Unsuspecting members of the public and bona fide buyers who have been duped by the land barons are left to bear the brunt of the illegality.”
