With less than two months remaining before 2025, Harare residents are questioning whether the goal of transforming the capital into a world-class city will ever materialize.
The vision, announced boldly in 2020 by the CCC-led Harare City Council, promised an upgraded urban environment with quality living standards, efficient services, modern infrastructure, and affordable transportation.
However, the current state of the city raises doubts about the feasibility of this ambitious target, as the opposition-run council struggles to address even basic civic issues.
For many residents, the idea of achieving world-class status under the current leadership has become a distant hope. Harare has deteriorated, with mountains of garbage lining the streets and deteriorating infrastructure becoming the norm.
The Council’s priorities appear misplaced; fuel resources are allocated to chase vendors rather than to service refuse trucks, resulting in a garbage crisis across the city, including the Central Business District (CBD). Water supply has been another longstanding issue, with most areas, including the CBD, having gone without consistent running water for over 20 years.
Roads throughout the city are marked by potholes, with government intervention required for basic maintenance in some instances. Critics have pointed to opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s so-called “Strategic Ambiguity” doctrine, alleging that it has enabled the appointment of underqualified individuals to key positions within the city council.
City Councillor Takudzwa Dzumbunu, Chairperson of Works and Town Planning, recently faced legal issues when she was fined US$300 or sentenced to six months in jail for falsifying her qualifications. Dzumbunu’s case has raised concerns about the council’s ability to handle complex urban planning and infrastructure tasks essential for a world-class city.
Environmental concerns also highlight the challenges of achieving this vision. Harare City Council’s Environmental Management Committee Chairperson, Cecelia Chimbiri, admitted during the Justice Maphios Cheda Commission of Inquiry into Harare City Council Affairs that she was unfamiliar with the role of wetlands, which play a critical role in flood prevention and water management. The city has been grappling with severe wetland degradation, with many wetlands allocated for residential and commercial development, leading to flooding, especially in vulnerable areas like Budiriro, where recent floods displaced hundreds of residents.
The capacity and expertise of council leaders have been called into question. Chimbiri’s unfamiliarity with wetlands has sparked public concern about the effectiveness of council leadership in managing critical environmental issues, which are essential for any city aspiring to world-class status.
Disillusionment among residents who voted for the opposition is palpable. Harare businessman and opposition supporter Kuda Musasiwa, expressing his frustration on X, highlighted Harare’s significant economic potential, comparing the city’s balance sheet to major corporations and lamenting the decision to vote “on vibes.”
The shortcomings in Harare’s administration have led to increasing calls, even from opposition circles, for the government to establish a commission to oversee the city’s administration. This move, supporters argue, could bring accountability and expertise needed to address the city’s complex issues.
As the countdown to 2025 continues, the vision of a world-class Harare appears increasingly out of reach under the current leadership.
