Harare Council Demolishes Homes Amid 5,000 Pending Orders
Residents claim valid allocation letters, while city officials cite planning violations and a lack of approved blueprints.
By Fatou Kim ·
More than 5,000 houses in Harare face demolition under 37 outstanding High Court orders, according to city council records. The figure represents the scale of the municipal crackdown that has intensified in recent months. Authorities have already inspected 22,255 sites to identify structures built on land designated as prohibited for housing.
The most recent wave of destruction occurred on Friday, August 14. At approximately 5 a.m., heavy machinery arrived in St Martins Extension. Methro Masunga, a single mother of three, heard the noise and realized her home was being torn down. She had purchased her stand in 2015 and received an allocation in 2019. The city council formalized the arrangement in 2020 by issuing official documents to residents.
Masunga described the scene as years of sacrifice destroyed within hours. She had worked part time in domestic jobs to save for the property. Memory Chengeta, a former street food vendor, also lost her home in the same operation. She expressed confusion because a previous court order had halted demolitions. Authorities proceeded without a new order overturning that judgment. Chengeta is now homeless and has set up a makeshift shelter in the area.
Joachim Nhete lost his home after using his retirement package to build it. He estimates the investment at over $10,000. The legal dispute centers on a consent order issued by Justice Happias Zhou on October 29, 2025. That order barred the city from evicting specific applicants or demolishing their homes without a valid court order. It did not automatically protect every property in the suburb.
City officials argue they are enforcing planning regulations. Stanley Gama, a council spokesperson, said the municipality targets structures whose owners received repeated warnings against illegal building. Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume told residents with approved plans to produce them during inspections. He declined to comment specifically on the legality of the St Martins demolitions. Edgar Dzehonye, the principal housing director, stated that residents were warned because the area had not been adequately serviced.
Residents counter that they followed council linked processes. David Jenje, chairman of the St Martins Residents Association, said most members paid deposits as far back as 2018. He received allocation letters in 2020 and called the demolitions illegal. Precious Shumba of the Harare Residents’ Trust criticized the town planning department. She said the department issued directives to municipal police to demolish homes protected by the court order.
The Zimbabwean Constitution prohibits eviction without a court order that considers all relevant circumstances. The National Human Settlements Policy requires alternative accommodation before relocations. Residents claim they were not offered such housing. Local MP Trymore Kanopula has called for a halt to further demolitions until land allocations are audited. Minister Daniel Garwe stated that the government does not carry out demolitions and cannot interfere with court processes.
