Harare Demolitions Leave Families Homeless Amid Land Disputes

Municipal police officers and bulldozers arrived in the St Martins Extension suburb of Harare, Zimbabwe, at approximately 5:00 a.m. on Friday, August 14, to demolish residential properties. Homeowners, many of whom had spent years saving to build their houses, reported being awakened by the heavy machinery and receiving no prior warning that their specific dwellings were slated for immediate destruction.

Methro Masunga, a single mother of three who worked part-time doing laundry and cleaning houses, stated that she began paying for her residential stand in 2015 and received formal allocation through the city council in 2020. Standing among the rubble of her former residence, Masunga explained that she had exhausted her savings to build the home, only to watch it reduced to debris without any official recourse or explanation from the municipal team on site.

The City of Harare maintained that the demolitions targeted illegal construction, unapproved structures, and developments on land not designated for housing or left unserviced. Municipal spokesperson Stanley Gama stated that authorities acted against property owners who had repeatedly been warned against building unlawfully. However, the exact number of displaced residents remains unverified, though council records indicate that more than 5,000 houses across Harare face potential demolition under pending High Court orders.

Residents and local leadership contested the municipality's justification, pointing to a previous consent order issued by Justice Happias Zhou on October 29, 2025. That court order explicitly barred the City of Harare from evicting named applicants in St Martins Extension or demolishing their homes without a valid, subsequent court order. Affected homeowners argued that the municipal authorities violated judicial protections by proceeding with the demolitions without overturning the prior judgment.

David Jenje, chairman of the St Martins Residents Association, asserted that members had fully paid for their land values years prior and received proper allocation letters and agreements of sale through official municipal channels in 2019 and 2020. Local rights groups, including ZimRights, joined the residents in questioning the legality of the operations and criticizing the lack of accountability and adherence to constitutional safeguards regarding evictions.

Zimbabwe's Constitution prohibits the demolition of homes or the eviction of individuals without a court order issued after a full consideration of relevant circumstances. Furthermore, national human settlements policies mandate the provision of alternative accommodation prior to relocations. Displaced residents like Joachim Nhete, who invested his entire retirement package into building his home, reported receiving no alternative housing options and now face homelessness with little hope of financial recovery.

Political leaders and housing advocates have urged immediate governmental intervention. Harare South Member of Parliament Trymore Kanopula called for a complete suspension of demolitions until a thorough audit of land allocations is conducted. Meanwhile, Minister of Local Government and Public Works Daniel Garwe stated that the central government does not execute municipal demolitions and cannot interfere directly in ongoing local court processes, leaving affected residents demanding judicial accountability from the city council.